Daughter of Aule
by dragynfyre18
Summary: Rylee is the Daughter of Aule, a girl created by the Valar to kill dragons and do the bidding of the Valar. This is her fourth life, and her fourth quest, she hasn't failed yet, but the odds are stacked against her because this time the quest isn't about the dragon. Rated M for violence, gore and adult situations.
1. Dropping in Unannounced

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either. **

**Hells yes I will be making this my own version of events, I will be adding scenes and changing scenes, mostly for my enjoyment and also for yours. I have dropped in my own loverly characters, the first of which will be Rylee (kinda obvious as she is my main character in this fic), but if you pay careful attention, you will be able to figure out the other few. I will follow the plotline of the movies and the timeline of the book. They leave on quest at the end of April and the Battle takes place in November so really we have at least six months of events to work with.**

**So this is the typical fangirl fic of a lady (me) who does not want her three favorite characters in the original story(and movie YUM) to die (Uh Duh) So I sure as hell will be changing the ending. Also, I love OC's so I am making my own as per usual. **

**There are references to the events of the Silmarilion and other works of Tolkien in this story, so be forewarned the Middle-Earth history within is a large part of Rylee's story. I did a huge amount of research on this story, the history and the timelines that I am using. If you catch a slip up somewhere please let me know.**

**I do love reviews so go ahead and let me know what you think.**

**Love you all!**

Chapter 1

Dropping in Unannounced

April 27

The dragon was falling, she could feel the weight and the pressure of the beast as he fell from the air, his great wings useless once his heart stopped. The smell of sulfur and smoke assaulted her nose, burning her insides as she held on to her whip and axes. She looked down at the ground far below and could just make out the form of the Maia Olorin and the Elf Galadriel, their faces grim masks of fear. He thought that he and the leaders of Elves and Dwarves were finally able to talk her out of this rash act. It was her last true act of being Rúnyatári, Queen of Red Flame. It was her destiny. She pulled her axes from the beast's flesh and let herself fall away.

It was like falling in slow motion. She heard that a soul's life would pass before their eyes at the moment of death, and the small life she lived both in Aman and the years she spent in Arda did just that. Several faces stood out in her mortal life; Olorin, Elihara, Elorin, Durin and Eridith, Elrond, Rohinna, and Galadriel. Comrades and friends they were there for her for most of her journey. They were good friends, allies, and even then they barely believed the odd tale that was her life. Olorin stood foremost in her mind, always there to bear witness of her birth. He was a good friend and one of the wisest most caring Maia she ever met. Above them, there were only two friends she let in, who cared for her as much as she did them, Kaia and Jovina. They were her family and both of them disappeared from her life without a trace, without word, without a goodbye.

Though her time in the world was short, it was much filled, she completed her tasks, and she fought her battles valiantly. She fulfilled her purpose as the creation of the Valar. Her only regret, not that she would ever tell a soul, was that she was not able to experience more life before returning home to her makers. Maybe in another life she would meet her mentor, and find her One, have a family of her own. For now she would return to her place with the Valar and wait for whatever came next.

She was sealed into the fiery depths of the volcano, she should be burning, but she wasn't. She could not burn, she was made of fire. Her skin heated as she fell, getting hotter and hotter as the body of the dragon pushed her closer and closer to the volcano. Then as she went under the hot magma, the pain began as she started to drown in the lava of the boiling volcano. The magma entered her lungs, there was no way to swim around the beast it was just too big. The thick hot lava filled her lungs, she choked on the sulfur and ash, taking away her ability to breathe. Moment after agonizing moment she suffocated on the very fire that she was created out of. Then there was painlessness. Darkness. Nothingness.

She felt the darkness, the painlessness and floated there for a moment before suddenly she was falling backwards, dropping quickly through the ether. She saw light first, and then she felt the brush of her clothing against her flesh, then the heaviness of the layers of Armor, and then her weapons. She was being reborn again. Was she finally going home? The weight of her Armor and her weapons pulled her faster and faster through the empty all-consuming darkness. She fell so quickly that she could feel the wind pulling at her clothes and her hair. The hair on her arms rose, and there was a shiver on the back of her neck as she realized that she was whole again.

She heard a voice, the voice of Manwë, "Change the Hands of Fate."

Nienna spoke next, "Find all that is lost." Varda added, "Take back what is yours."

Ilúvatar spoke, "Be blessed child, and live fully, for this is to be your last."

Then through the darkness came the voice of Aulë, filled with laughter, "The Archer is the One who will teach you, Rylee."

She closed her eyes for a moment as she tried to work through the madness that was swirling around her. She was beginning to feel faint, her heart was pounding in her chest, and she could barely breathe. What did Eru mean, this was her last? Her last chance? Did she fail at the others? 'I did not fail. I don't see how, I have prevailed and succeeded in every other quest.' She thought. No she couldn't have failed, the hints were cryptic as always but she did always get the vision before the end. Then with a rush of roiling noise and heavy with beating drums and pipes and harps, she burst forth from the darkness and into a cozy candle lit room.

* * *

"M-Me? No, no, no, no, no. I'm not a burglar; I've never stolen a thing in my life." Bilbo denied adamantly looking at the group of dwarves before him.

"I'm afraid I have to agree with Mr. Baggins. He's hardly burglar material." Balin said shaking his head, Bilbo nodded in agreement. He really was not a burglar and he was not ready to risk his life on something to do with dragons!

Dwalin agreed with his brother, "Aye, the wild is no place for gentlefolk who can neither fight nor fend for themselves."

Bilbo nodded vigorously, and the others started to argue, about how best to get past the dragon, who would take the risk. Gandalf stood, rising menacingly and cast a spell of darkness over the group shuttering the candles and every single member of the company sat down at attention as he began to speak in his most powerful voice. "Enough! If I say Bilbo Baggins is a burglar, then a burglar he is."

Once he had the attention of everyone again, he sat back down and resumed in his usual tone, "Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet. In fact, they can pass unseen by most if they choose. And while the dragon is accustomed to the smell of dwarf, the scent of Hobbit is all but unknown to him, which gives us a distinct advantage. You asked me to find the fourteenth member of this company, and I have chosen Mr. Baggins. There's a lot more to him than appearances suggest, and he's got a great deal more to offer than any of you know, including himself. You must trust me on this."

"Very well. We will do it your way." Thorin said somewhat disgruntled, wondering what in the world Gandalf thought the little Halfling could possibly offer that another member of the company could not.

"No, no, no," Bilbo protested he was so uncertain about this whole venture. An adventure would be great, but against a dragon, across the wild lands? This was too much for someone like him.

Thorin continued talking over top of the Hobbit, "Give him the contract."

"Please." Bilbo continued to protest, no one was listening!

"Alright, we're off!" Bofur said with a spark of excitement.

Balin handed Bilbo the contract and started to contain the contents as Bilbo began to open and peruse the parchment. "It's just the usual summary of out of pocket expenses, time required, remuneration, funeral arrangements, so forth."

"Funeral arrangements?" Bilbo repeated in shock as he stepped away to read over the long paper.

"I cannot guarantee his safety," Thorin said as he leaned over to Gandalf so that the hobbit did not hear what he said.

"Understood," Gandalf said, it was an adventure, safety was never guaranteed on such things. He learned that from a dear friend long, long ago.

Thorin leaned back in and added, "Nor will I be responsible for his fate."

"Agreed," Gandalf said. He would do his best to provide that.

Bilbo was about to read a portion of the contract out loud when there was a loud rushing noise. The sound of bells tolled, the walls, tables, and chairs shook, and the window panes began to rattle. The candles on the table began to flicker as though wind rushed through the room lifting the map off the table and Thorin slammed his hand down on top to hold it in place. Kíli and Fíli pushed their chairs back as far from the table as they could go, a mere foot between them and the destruction that seemed to threaten. With a sudden burst of flaming light from the candles it ended. "What in the name of-!"

"Oh!" Kíli cried from his spot at the table. Suddenly holding a young maiden in his arms, he had to scramble for a moment to keep her from falling on to the floor. The woman was clutching at Kíli's chest, doing her best not to topple off of his knees. Her hands were strong as she wrapped her arms around him tightly. She was small, the girl in his arms and yet she seemed heavy, as though weighed down. From what he could tell, the majority of her bulk came from the weapons and gear that she was wearing. Over her fur cloak he could see a pair of heavy handled axes which shone brightly in the dim candle light, they made the light reflect like mirrors brightening the room. Under her cloak, she wore layers of leather over chainmail and what felt like a corset made of metal rope. Under all that she felt very small. Very small indeed. Against the metal, strands of fine silk brushed against and tangled in his fingers. Hair so long that it fell below her tiny waist.

"Ah!" A very feminine voice responded. She blinked at the brightness of candlelight after her jaunt through the dark. She was haphazardly sitting on something both soft and yet hard. Feeling herself slip she reached to brace herself and felt the form of a body under her fingers. Breathing in, she reveled in the scents of the sunshine, leather, Dwarven tobacco, and man. He wore a deep grayish blue tunic with finely embroidered trim. And from what she could tell, he was pure hard muscle under that tunic. She could not stop herself from wrapping her arms around him and holding on tighter though she told herself that it was only for balance as she tried not to fall off of his knees.

"O-Ho!" Fíli cried from beside his brother, suddenly holding a very finely created bow. The dark seared wooden weapon was obviously hand crafted with great care. It had runes and engravings surrounding both the top and bottom of the leather wrapped grip. He looked at his brother with shock and wondered why he got the lesser prize.

The entire group looked at the sudden intruder as she struggled to right herself on the young dwarf prince's lap. There was little enough room around the table as it was, there was little place that she could go. The hood of her heavy black fur cloak slipped back to reveal a beautiful maid, who looked to have some Dwarven heritage. Her ears which were very dwarf-like had the tiniest bit of a point to them. Her chin was bare, not a trace of beard to be seen, showed a very pale face with fine straight nose and lush lips. Her wide-set eyes were a deep dark grey with white sparkling depths, framed by long thick lashes. Kíli took one long look at her and clutched her tighter to his chest, his left hand spread possessively around her waist, and his right over her muscular thigh.

Her hair was dark, except where the candlelight hit it, where it shone a deep fiery red like the dying coals of a fire. The top portion of her hair was clipped back with a thick bright red tinted metal clip, adorned with black jewels. The rest of her hair flowed loosely hidden under her cloak. There were multiple thin braids threaded throughout, the most prominent were the three braids that were plaited around each ear. A metal circlet made of braided mithril traced across her bared forehead and into her long silky hair. It looked like two braids that were woven and twined together along her forehead that converged into a singular untied point just above her delicate brows where a bright white star-fire diamond was inlayed into the metal.

She looked up into the eyes of her impromptu seat and her heart stopped. Deep dark chocolate brown eyes engulfed her, she felt her heart fire back up and begin to race. Those piercing eyes were sparkling with life, and laughter and determination, she could live within them. He had a fine straight nose, beautifully sculpted lips, and a strong jaw covered in fine stubble. No beard, just a little more than a shadow that defined a strong jaw.

Finally, she released a breath. What in the world? At least last time the Valar left her in a vale, but no! This time they drop her into the lap of a most wonderful Dwarven male! She shook that thought away, where did it come from anyways? She had to find the teacher of the bow and change the hands of fate. She did not have time to be falling for the most gorgeous pair of dark eyes. Again, what in the world was with her!

Someone cleared their throat off to her left and she looked around her and realized that she was sitting on someone's lap in the middle of a whole Company of Dwarves. How had she missed the fact that there were twelve other Dwarves in the room? The entire place went silent for just a moment, as everyone stared at her. Was she more unkempt than she first thought? She was sure that she was whole, that nothing was burned or peeled away. She was not a walking skeleton or a bag of bones. She was entirely too distracted which was utterly mortifying considering who she was.

"And who, might I ask, are you?" A voice thundered from the head of the table. Her head whipped in that direction, landing on a handsome older dwarf. He had thick black hair streaked with the odd lock of silver, a fierce look upon his face and keen blue eyes, and a braid in front of each ear. Recognition rocked through her, making her tense in familiar defiance and introduce herself.

"Rylee Emitheral," She said coldly, snapping her reply at the man with the familiar face. An old anger filled her, an old hurt burned within her as she remembered word for word the tongue-lashing he gave her. Recognition flashed in the king's eyes and she narrowed her gaze at him. Had he forgotten her? She sure hadn't forgotten him, yelling at her for being rebellious and reckless, audacious and tenacious. Then she paused for a moment, thirteen pairs of dwarf eyes stared back at her. "I gave you my name, now, who are you lot?"

Thorin looked at the woman on his nephew's lap, taking in her appearance, and her bearing. She was not speaking formally, like royalty, yet her crown indicated that she was from royalty. She was a spitfire, defiant, and rebellious. His heart stopped, and then it started to race. It was her. Seventy two years before, on this very day he planted a tree at her birth. He named her, and this day she looked him with the same spite and defiance she had the last time he saw her. For seven years she was missing from his dreams, seven years fraught with worry was all it took to change her from a wild adventurous girl into a cold, hardened warrior queen. One who now looked at him with hurt and hate in her eyes. Thorin growled at the stubborn girl, "Your full name, Rylee, as you were taught."

She met his eyes with an angry glare and for a moment he was sure she would defy him, not that it was an odd occurrence for her to do so. "Fine, you want my full name? I am Rylee Emitheral, Daughter of Aulë, I am Rúnyatári the Queen of Red Flame, Lady of Grace, and Champion of the People. I am called Wolfsong, Blood Queen, and Firebrand by my enemies. But I swear -"

"Enough! Hold your tongue, Mahalul!" Thorin hollered at her making the entire company jump in surprise. Thorin watched as her face deadened into a hard cold mask, her rage sparked through her eyes. With that one command, he brought her defiance to the surface.

"Make me, Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror, King of Durin's Folk! I gave you my bloody proper name, now tell me who the rest of you are." Rylee demanded from her place on the lap of the handsome dwarf, keeping her face devoid of anger. The silence stretched and the tension rose, as Thorin blinked at her audacity. She knew exactly who she was speaking to and still she had the nerve to speak to him in anger. As far as she was concerned she had every right to defy him. She could see that her placement on the young dwarf's lap was bothering Thorin, so just for spite she decided to stay. She shot him a glare and held even tighter to her chocolate eyed savior.

Her eyes followed the group as they each introduced themselves; Bofur, Balin, Gloin, Nori, Dori, and Ori. Then came Bombur, who from her position, was technically both beside her and behind her.

"I am Fíli," Said the blonde that she was facing towards, he gave her a cheeky grin, "The lap you are sitting in belongs to my brother Kíli."

"Fíli," She nodded at him in acknowledgment before turning to once again looked up at Kíli. Immediately she was pulled into his eyes as she whispered, "Hello, Kíli."

"At your service, Miss Rylee," he whispered back, a shiver ran through her entire body, he could feel it everywhere they touched. She gasped, blushing prettily and then bit her lip before breaking eye contact. Her fine white teeth on her bottom lip drew his eyes, perfectly pink, kissable lips.

She was sitting on Kíli, facing Fíli, who was holding her bow. She looked expectantly at the rest of the Company and they introduced themselves as Oin, Bifur, and Dwalin. Bifur, with an axe injury to his head, grunted in Khuzdul and signed in Iglishmek that he was pleased to meet her and she answered in kind, with everyone staring in shock. She looked at the little hobbit reading the contract at the far end of the table, waiting expectantly. Gandalf got his attention and the Halfling turned to look at her, "My apologies, I am Bilbo Baggins, at your service. Wait! Where did you come from?"

"I, um, dropped in." Rylee looked at him with a raised eyebrow and several of the dwarves chuckled quietly. One very tall wizard sat with his back to her. It was he, the Wizard, who made her pause; he seemed to be looking very concernedly at the little Halfling in the hallway. When she arrived he had become very tense, she could see the rigidity in his tall frame as he sat near the doorway. He was the same and yet so very different. When he turned to her Rylee narrowed her eyes and whispered, "The Valar take me, Olorin? Nay! It cannot be! How is this possible? You are so, so-, old!"

"Olorin? Who is Olorin?" Fíli asked the others, all of them shook their heads and looked at the strange girl for an explanation. He looked into her dark eyes and noticed the odd sparks that flickered within, they were not normal eyes. Very expressive in an almost inexpressive face, as though she was wearing a mask, but her eyes gave away her true feelings. She was in shock.

"Well, him of course! The Maia! The - the wizard!" Rylee looked at Fíli, her expression remained serious. She studied the blonde dwarf for a moment. Brother to Kíli, Fíli was also a handsome dwarf, just not her taste. Blond hair, familiar crystal blue eyes, the braids of a prince, he was directly related to Thorin. Son? Nephew? Definitely heir to the throne, if his braids were any indication, he looked much like the original Durin. It was uncanny really, the only difference was the braid placement.

"I have not heard that name in ages. The last time I heard that name in Middle-Earth was before the battle of Ancalagon," Olorin's voice said out of Not-Olorin's body. 'No, it could not be him.' Rylee thought. When she saw him last, not twenty minutes before, he was younger, with a fine young handsome face, his hair was blonde long and flowing, he had no beard and wore rich blue cloaks and tunics that were fitting of the Maia. This man was much older, his beard and hair were long and grey, his face aged and weathered. Lines from years of laughter and tears graced his wizened face. This was not possible, and he looked as surprised to see her as she was him, "My dear, Rylee Emitheral, is it really you, after all of these years?"

"Ages? Years?" She all but squeaked in response. She looked at him as though he lost his mind, Gandalf nearly laughed as her mask slipped away in her moment of shock. There was the girl he first met, the one who wore her emotions honestly and openly. "But I just-, you just-, I just! Just-!"

"Just what?" Kíli asked his voice was low and honeyed, raw in some ways. Kíli's voice, once again, caused shivers to run down her spine. She met his eyes and blinked in surprise as her heart stopped for a second time, her mind reeled and her breath caught. There a twinkling curiosity lit the dark chocolate depths of his dark eyes. She could feel his hands tangled in her hair under her cloak. She felt the gentle pull on her scalp, a shock of warm fire arced through her and bit her lip as she fought herself from issuing a pleasured sigh. Unexpected warmth radiated out from her core. If she were not holding tight, she would have fallen off his lap. Hair touching was always painful for her, but this was not painful, it was the exact opposite.

Fíli watched in awe as the stoic look dropped away, first, in surprise at her response Gandalf's question, then it changed drastically when the girl looked at his little brother. Kíli rarely ever received looks like that one, one of absolute adoration followed by raw hunger. Her reaction was not missed by Thorin either, who cleared his throat loudly drawing everyone's curious eyes away from her.

"I just saw him. I d-died, just minutes ago." Her voice was soft and quiet, she tried not to show him her fear and her pain, but somehow she just could not hide it from him. She looked up at him trying to will him to understand what she meant. She forcibly tore her eyes away to look back at her extremely aged friend, the mask slid back into place as she asked, "What happened? Did you not just arrive from the Undying Lands? Has it truly been ages?"

"Six thousand years give or take since you were summoned to Middle-Earth," Olorin said as he leaned forward and she shrank into the arms holding her. In the rational part of her mind, she knew that Olorin would never hurt her, but his answer terrified her, six thousand years passed? And why was he so different? He was Maia, he should not look like this. She felt Kíli's arms tighten around her, Rylee looked up that him, her eyes wide and inexplicably she started to calm. Again she worried her lip as she thought about this inexplicable reaction to the dwarf.

"It is okay. Gandalf won't hurt you, regardless of what you call him."Kíli said, seeing her fear, held her tighter, instinctively protective. Mahal, when she bit her lip like that he wanted to kiss her. What the hell? She was bringing all sorts of odd feelings out of him. This did not bode well for either of them. Especially considering her tone of voice every time she addressed his Uncle, she showed him almost no respect even though she knew exactly who he was. Even still, Kíli had no desire to let her go and was more than pleased to hold her in his arms.

Gandalf put his hands on the table and he sat back in his seat, not coming any closer. It was a placating gesture, "You were right about the prophesy, the dragon was defeated, and the Valar were successful in their campaign against Morgoth. I returned to the Undying Lands upon your departure as I always do. I was sent here at the beginning of the Third Age as an Istari, to help defeat a dark power. Now why you are here ages later in time? I can only guess that it would be for the last dragon."

"How many ages, and what dragon?" She whispered, trying to will her heart to slow down. Her head whirled as she worked through the information she was given and the possible reasons she would jump so far forward through time. There was a shuffling noise beside Olorin as her Dwarven audience moved closer to hear their conversation. She looked at Olorin's long white beard and then back up at his now concerned twinkling eyes.

"This is the year 2941 of the Third Age, my dear Rylee, and you have not aged a day," Gandalf said his voice was quiet. He was avoiding the question about the dragon on purpose.

"Of course not, Olorin! I rode Ancalagon into the Thangorodrim just minutes ago! A person doesn't age much in a few bleeding minutes!" She told him coldly, Rylee was quite exasperated. What was he not understanding about what she was telling him? She struggled to retain her calm demeanor, but her frustration was coloring her voice. "Except you say two ages have passed? Where am I? Why am I here? No! I mean I know my quest, but not why I am here, now! Ugh-!" Rylee dropped her head to Kíli's shoulder and whispered, "What in the name of Eru is going on?"

"Calm down, Rylee, you are going to make poor Kíli deaf! It's not like you have never skipped time before," Olorin admonished.

Rylee lifted her head and shot a dark glare at Gandalf. If looks could kill, Thorin wondered how it would rate; obliteration was a contender with that stare. He nearly laughed, secretly glad that this time he was not the recipient of that deadly glance. This was the girl he remembered, feisty and fiery, and full of life. He shook it off; she was a woman now, not a little girl. He had so many questions: Why was she wearing this cold façade? What happened in the last seven years? When did she become a queen? What did the Valar have her do? What was she here for now? Not that he was complaining. If she was here for their quest, then they were blessed to have the War Maiden of the Valar in their company.

"Seventy-two years is a little different from six thousand, Olorin," Rylee warned her friend. He was toying with her and aged or not, she would take him to task for it. She pointedly ignored the looks of confusion and bewilderment that were passed around the table. "At least last time I was still in the same damn age!"

Bilbo was supposed to be reading his contract, but the strange happenings at his table were much more intriguing. Was this maid truly from the First Age? In Hobbit years she looked no older than twenty, barely out of her adolescence, she was quite lovely but much too tall for a Hobbit. She was charismatic, engaging. He shook the feeling off and watched in amusement as the events unfolded. On the plus side, her sudden appearance took the pressure off of him and he could peruse his contract in relative solitude.

"All of your father's fire," Gandalf chuckled, the twinkle sparkling in his eyes. Rylee glowered at him darkly in return; a warning of white sparks firing in her deep gray eyes. "You are in the Shire, in Mister Baggins' home. A dragon now lives in the Lonely Mountain. It all but destroyed the mines of Erebor and the city of Dale over two hundred years ago. It is now hoarding the Dwarven gold, keeping these Dwarves from their home."

"Gandalf? Why does she call you Olorin?" A younger dwarf with a book and a quill in hand asked with extreme interest. He had a bowl-shaped haircut with several braids and a sheepish yet curious face. He backed off just a little as Rylee shot the dwarf a perplexed look. She recalled that his name started with an O and that he was sitting with his two brothers but otherwise his name was lost among the others. Regardless, this was her interview she would have no more interruptions.

"Olorin is the name that Rylee knows me by, Ori," Olorin said to the curious little dwarf. He met her eye and told her gently, "I am known by Gandalf now. Gandalf the Grey."

Rylee slipped her feet towards the floor and sat up a little straighter, nearly tumbling once more off of Kíli's lap. He grabbed her waist, drawing her even closer to him and righted her so that she was sitting on one of his knees with her arm around his shoulders. The moment her fingers touched his hair, she methodically started brushing through the tangled dark waves, softly working out the snarls she could feel. She forced herself to stop. Hair touching was an act of courting. She didn't even know him other than his name! Performing courting rituals not twenty minutes after her arrival was probably not the best way to start her fourth quest. She tried not to give any consideration that his handsome face and tempting lips were only inches away from her own, that his hands were still tangled in her hair, around her waist and under her cloak. She was burning up from the intimacy. She closed her eyes and focused, instead concentrating on the fact that she was facing the table and could see better the faces that sat around it.

Rylee completely missed the exchange of glances as Kíli and Fíli realized that Kíli was now partially wrapped in Rylee's thick fur cloak. He didn't even mind that her fingers brushed through the hair at the nape of his neck, gentle fingers brushing his collar, combing through his hair. Her long dark hair tangling with his own, her face and those lips mere inches from his. Kíli was more than pleased to have the maiden there, and Fíli's envious look made the situation even sweeter. With his hands secure around her waist, he also noticed that maiden on his lap was not very big, and he wondered exactly how tiny she was without the extensive Armor and layers of leather.

Fíli could not believe what he was witnessing, the girl's fingers brushed through Kíli's hair, right at the nape of his neck and Kíli did not protest. Kíli hated when people touched his hair, he rarely let their mother touch his hair. He watched as Rylee tried to ignore Kíli, and yet with her arm braced around Kíli's shoulder her fingers were softly caressing Kíli's hair. She closed her eyes for a moment and moved her hand away like someone forcibly moved it, she was that reluctant. Kíli was focused on her, studying her intently, but said not a single word about her fingers combing subconsciously through his dark hair. Then he noticed Kíli's hands under the cloak, one arm wrapped possessively around her waist as the other combed through her hair. They barely spoke to each other and they were already touching hair? He was so going to bug him about this later. The pair was lucky that the cloak hid most of this from the view of the company.

"Gandalf," She tested the name on her tongue, wrinkled her nose and looked at him, with a hard glare. At least he had the decency to look chagrined for just a moment. She had questions and by the Valar she was going to get the answers. "You spoke of a dragon. What dragon is it?"

"Rylee, you cannot think to-" Gandalf started, and she cut him off by holding up her hand. She wore fingerless gloves that were covered with red stained chainmail. The entire hobbit hole fell into a stunned silence, as the rest of the company realized that the woman was fully dressed for war.

"Dragons and quests go hand in hand. It is my sworn duty to seek out and assist in the destruction of the vile beasts. They are why I was created the way I am, so stop bloody stalling and tell me. What is the name of the dragon, Gandalf?" She was queenly, she was demanding, she was nearly tyrannical in her want of information. A white glimmer lit her eyes when she spoke of her duty; she still had a lust for the hunt, for the kill. Thorin's chest rose in pride, she was everything a War Maiden of the Valar was meant to be.

Gandalf ran his hand over his face in aggravation. "I forgot how frustrating you were. It is Smaug. Smaug lies under Erebor."

"So Smaug would be the fourth dragon, to mark my fourth quest? I take it you are all gathered here to go after the dragon Smaug then?" Rylee looked around the table. They all looked a little shocked. Thorin barely shook his head and from the odd fearful looks on the faces around her, she didn't quite get it right, then it dawned on her. She chuckled darkly, "Ah! You want to reclaim Erebor and the mines! You do realize you will have to slay the dragon to do that, right? Except, of course, that is why I am here and I have to destroy the beast myself."

"There has not been movement in the mountain for sixty years. We believe that Smaug is no longer a threat," Thorin said, looking at Rylee sitting in his nephew's lap. She wore a mithril diadem, engraved in the sacred runes of the Dwarves, Men, and Elves. What in the name of the Valar happened to her, that she was now this cold hard creature, imperial and royal? He raised her to be a War Maiden of the Valar, not some First Age queen! Not some second rate dragon slayer either! She could not really be thinking that she was to go after Smaug alone!

"Ha! I will believe that when I see it. Dragons don't just go away, they must be slain! Curse Morgoth and his blasted drakes! I hate dragons!" She growled angrily slamming her fist on the table with a heavy thump. Every dwarf in the room jumped at the sound and stared at her as if she had two heads. They all looked at her hand, wrapped in leather and blood stained metal mail. She met each and every pair of eyes except for Kíli's, if she looked at him she would get lost again. This was not the time for that. "Pardon me. I do suppose I will need a map to Erebor and I will be on my way."

The silence was broken then as the entire group started to protest. Kíli hands tightened around her waist, pulling her protectively against him. She was caught between the dual desires to give into his protection and to fight out of his grasp. She blinked in confusion as she heard him whisper an appalled, 'No!' His brother also protested. Thorin looked at her as though he was about to explode, she was certain that he was going to tell her she was too young, too reckless and not ready for such a quest. It was always the same argument with him. That and Magic. He hated it when she used magic. She bristled visibly as well, clenching her fists in her leather and mithril gauntlets. There was no way she would be left behind like some little housemaid or dwarrowdam! She was a War Maiden of The Valar! A dragon lived under that mountain and she was sent here to help kill it. There was no way that she was going to allow this group of dwarves to go off on some quest to win back their mountain without her. She was made to kill dragons. Besides, she was to change the hands of fate and she could not do that from a hobbit hole.

"You are not going after the dragon alone!" Thorin hollered from the head of the table. Kíli and Fíli flinched. They knew that tone very well; it was a tongue lashing in the making. Silence reigned as everyone felt appeased that the maid was not going. As pleased as he was that Thorin told Rylee she was not going after the dragon, Kíli felt Rylee stiffen as though ready for battle. Then Thorin shocked them all as he continued, "You will travel with us, or not at all."

"Before this discussion goes further, I think it wise that you remove your armor, Rylee. You must be boiling to death in those layers, it is spring now, not mid-winter," Gandalf told her, a twinkle in his eyes. "Besides you might scratch Bilbo's table with your gauntlets, he would not be happy about that."

"Gandalf is right, we might be at odds, but we are not at war, there is no need for your armor. It is not proper for someone of your status to sit like that, Rylee, though Kíli does not seem to mind. You are Mahal's daughter, you should act like it," Thorin admonished her, but his tone was also directed at his nephew. Kíli was a prince and at the moment he was not acting in any way with proper decorum. The pair seemed altogether too cozy during the twenty minutes since her arrival, especially with her taking up occupancy on his nephew's lap. If Kíli was going to touch the girl, he should do it properly. There were steps to courting and they should follow them. Thorin closed his eyes for a moment; did he really just think that? Was he really okay with Kíli courting Rylee? Of all the unions he could think of for his youngest nephew, this one was the oddest pairing.

"Oh," Rylee said with a surge of guilt and embarrassment, as she really thought about her intimate position on Kíli. She looked up at him, a guilty grin lifting her lips. It took everything in her not to be swept away once again, since the moment she met his eyes she no longer wanted to go anywhere. "He's right, you know, I should give you back your lap."

Bofur laughed outright, while Nori smirked. Dori glared at Nori as Ori blushed red at the intense flirting that was happening at the table. Fíli watched in amusement as an almost pained expression flashed across Kíli's face as he considered letting the girl go. He was even more surprised by the mirror image of it flash across the little queen's face as she looked at Kíli. It was like watching an intimate conversation.

"There is no way around the table," Fíli reminded everyone, trying to assist his brother, Thorin growled from the far side of the table and the trio froze.

"No, but there is over or under," Rylee said with a sigh of regret, as she instinctively understood the meaning of that growl. She turned back to Kíli giving him a warm smile, "Thank you for the comfortable landing, Kíli."

"T'was my pleasure, Rylee," He grinned back, she swept her feet to the floor and he steadied her as she moved. He stood with her and offered his hand as she stepped onto his chair and then onto the table. She ducked to avoid the low ceiling as she made traversed the room. He tried to hide the displeasure of having her leave him, instead keeping a smirk on his face as he watched her move away.

Fíli leaned over as Rylee walked over the table and straight out said under his breath, "I saw that."

"What?" Kíli asked watching as the dim light in the dining room reflected off of the heavy silver axes she wore on her back, like fairy wings.

"You had your hand in her hair the entire time," Fíli teased his brother, nudging him, trying to get Kíli to stop staring at the maid. "Since when do you touch hair, or even let maids play with your hair?"

"It was only for a second, Fíli, while she was getting settled. It meant nothing. Her fingers are really gentle though," Kíli whispered back feeling a little thunderstruck, for she was sheer perfection. He could barely conceal his discontent of her having to leave him and was even more displeased when Thorin stood and helped her down on the other side. Kíli did not like another male touching her, not even his uncle. What in the world was wrong with him?

"Rylee Emitheral," Thorin growled his greeting, but he her offered his hand and his seat so she could step down.

"Thorin Oakenshield," She growled just as fiercely, she stopped beside him and looked up into those true blue eyes. He was different than she remembered. He seemed darker, colder, and more distant. The time spent on Aman seemed so long ago, so much happened since the last night she saw him, they spoke angry words to each other. Much changed since that time, and she was a different person. Fear that he was still angry with her gripped her heart, but she forced herself not to show a single emotion, no one could know of her pain or sorrow, no one could know of her inner fears. She was still irate with him, but he was her mentor, and she cared for him.

"Ugshar?" She raised her hand and for the first time in all her years she brushed her fingers from his brow to his cheekbone, to his beard covered chin. The entire company gasped at the intimate contact, but neither Thorin nor Rylee saw or heard. Kíli burned in frustration. Did she just call him 'teacher'? Who in the name of Durin was this woman and why did he want to hold her and not let go?

"Mahalul," Thorin whispered as his hand traveled the same path down her face, to her chin. He spent years dreaming of meeting her and finally she was here, he wanted to crush her in a tight hug but he could not hold her. He didn't even know if she would allow such a thing. The fact that she instigated face touching was a shock to him, a pleasant shock, and honor. "We will talk later, you and I. Privately."

"Thorin, how do you know Rylee?" Gandalf asked quietly watching the pair interact. How was it possible that a girl from Aman has such a familiar relationship with a King from the Third Age?

"It is complicated," Thorin stated quietly, looking at the Wizard sitting beside him.

"Try the simple story, Thorin," Rylee challenged, as she stepped away from him. Her face returned to its cold countenance, her eyes sparkling, and her voice sarcastic, "I would truly love to hear you explain what I am to you."

Thorin shot her a dark look and he hesitated. How did one explain their relationship without going into useless detail? And how did he do it before Rylee started to sass him for being too slow in answering? Too late, she narrowed her eyes at him and started counting off on her fingers, "Other than a reckless inept and a regrettable pain in your hide. Too full of sass for my own good; I do believe those were your last words to me. Right after you told me that I would never be a War Maiden. That I was nothing more than a spoiled brat who knew nothing of the world or the hardships of our people and that my selfishness would be my death."

They shared a look. Thorin regretted those words from the moment they left his mouth and from the searing flash of pain that swept through her glittering grey eyes; they still hurt her. He needed to talk to her. "This is neither the time nor place Rylee, don't push it."

"Well get on with it then, Ugshar, explain who I am and how you know me," Rylee smirked, her eyes sparked as they glowered up at him in challenge. "Mahal knows they won't believe me."

"I met her seventy-two years ago today," Thorin announced to the group, daring any of them to protest his declaration. Rylee glared at him as he introduced her, a hard glimmer in her eyes, and the same daring look on her face. "The Valar asked me to be her mentor and guardian when she was born, which makes her my student and my god-daughter. I helped raise her."

"Really? So today is the anniversary of my creation?" Rylee asked in surprise, her eyebrows shot up. Her mask of indifference had slipped away for a moment before she caught herself. She huffed sarcastically. "Happy birthday to me, then."

The entire company looked on in complete shock. They were completely blown away by the events happening around them. Of all of the Dwarves gathered in the Hobbit Hole, only two knew Thorin had a student of any kind, much less a god-daughter. Even those two were unaware that the child was one who was apparently a coroneted queen in her own right. The girl wouldn't even be considered an adult for another three years, and she was already some sort of queen?

**These translations may not be accurate (I am doing my best to learn though):**

**The Dwarrow Scholar (Language! Khuzdul Dictionary anyone?): ****He is not a Fanfiction writer, you can find his site on WordPress. A wealth of information if you are interested in expanding your Dwarrow knowledge...**

**Ugshar - Teacher**

**Mahalul - Daughter of Mahal**

**So for research on this story I have used the following sites:**

**Lord of the Rings Wiki**

**Ardalambion**

**Encyclopedia of Arda**

**Tolkien Gateway**

**Midgardsmal **


	2. Strange Tales

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either.**

Chapter 2

Strange Tales

"Your Majesty. May I take your cloak?" Bilbo asked her, setting aside his contract for the moment as he remembered his duties as a host. He looked up at the pair in his foyer, he didn't know much about dwarves, but this face touching seemed almost ritualistic. The others seemed to be shocked by the reunion, but Bilbo didn't understand what the big deal was. She looked at him, with bright eyes in a stoic face. Bilbo could see the evidence of the King's mentorship; it was there in her mannerisms and in the inflections of her accent.

"Thank you, but please, let us not stand on formality, I prefer Rylee," She told him, it was a command, not an offer of pleasantry. She looked back at the others at the table, "That stands for everyone present."

"If there is damage to the table, I will have it repaired, Mr. Baggins," Thorin said to Bilbo as he watched Rylee look for a place to put her things. She carried large rounded battle axes, which looked almost dainty in their shining glory. They were finely made of bright silver metal and had red blades and red runes etched into the silver heads. When wearing them, she looked like an angel with wings of blooded silver death. The holster that she wore for them was threadbare, singed, darkened, covered in ash, indicating that the weapons themselves were well used.

"When did you make these weapons, Rylee, I do not remember you having them," Thorin asked quietly, watching her as her entire frame stiffened at the question. He didn't remember her making these weapons, but then he was only able to spend a few hours each night with her. So much of her life, he missed, it was what created such distance between them. Since her first hunt, she became aloof and distant, always more defiant, and rebellious, pushing the boundaries. Because of that hunt she was allowed no attachments to any but Aulë, not even with him. They told him to keep his distance from her, to only teach her and discipline her when required. The moment he withdrew from her emotionally, he lost control of her, she went wild. Just as he told Aulë that she would.

"In the weeks leading up to my first quest," She replied as she removed the holster and the axes contained within. "They were of divine inspiration. Don't you recall we argued about wielding the magic required to make them?" She shot him a warning look, she was not interested in this argument. She turned to the Hobbit and asked softly, "Is there a place I can stow my belongings, Mister Baggins?"

Without a word, Bilbo showed her a place for her things and silently gestured that he would take her cloak for her. He was enthralled, of all his unexpected guests she was the most polite. She put her holster in the place he indicated and then she unhooked her thick black fur cloak and handed it to him. Bilbo nearly fell over from the weight of the fur and he looked up at the small girl in surprise. Though she was a few inches or two taller than he, and even more slight than he was. How could she possibly wear something so heavy? He hung the cloak on a hook by the main entrance door. He went back to his contract but instead of reading he continued to follow the odd things happening with the Dwarves.

Thorin's eyes followed Rylee as she removed her cloak for the Hobbit, revealing her form. She was tiny, just as he remembered. From what he could see, it seemed that every piece of Armor she wore was covered in runes. Every rune was stained red with blood, yet even in those dark red places the metal shone ethereally. Equally blood stained gauntlets, greaves, and braces joined her heavy axes. Then she removed an extremely long silver coil of rounded snake-like metal from her middle, revealing her very tiny waist. It was not just mail, but a blasted metal coil creating bulk around the girl.

"What is that?" Thorin asked watching her from the table, pointing at the long thin metal whip in her hand. She held the pommel and flicked it out.

"It is a battle whip," Rylee said, flicking it across the floor. The end slapped and made a loud crack that made the entire company wince. "It is my favorite weapon above even my battle axes. Excuse me, one more moment and I will be right with you."

They watched Rylee coil the whip, swirling it up and clipping the ends into a perfect circle. Gloin muttered something about how it was not possible for a whip to be deadly and even less likely for a whip to be made out of metal and be light enough to wear on a body. Several members chuckled at the remark.

"Always a naysayer in every bunch," Rylee said as she rolled her eyes. She sighed, and met Gandalf's knowing eyes. He winked at her and gave her a smile. She still thought it weird that he looked like an old man rather than his usual self. It would take some getting used to.

Kíli elbowed Fíli as they looked on, watching the maid start undressing before them. She took off a long, fitted leather jacket followed by a leather tunic and a shining silver mail corselet. Finally revealing a long thin deep gray tunic that clung to her very womanly form and hung to the tops of her thighs. Gandalf and Thorin shared a chuckle as she swore in frustration about winter and the cold and the layers. Then she folded her clothes carefully and placed it all on a cushion. Tugging her dark grey tunic back into place she moved back towards the large gathering.

She pulled her hair back off of her face, unclipping the top portion of her hair before combing her fingers through the dark strands. Kíli noticed that she had a multitude of long thin braids and beads scattered through her hair, most were extremely thin and threaded with beautiful black jewel beads. Some were like Fíli's, indicating family ties and status. Jealousy piqued when he noticed one that stood out from the others, a courting braid. She finished combing her fingers through her hair, then she began to plait an inverted braid above the other three around her left ear. Once she reached the bottom, she enclosed it into a clasp that was identical to the other three that hung with it. Then she did the same to the other side of her head. Kíli could not have stopped the question if he tried, "What do those braids mean to you Rylee? They are not queen braids."

"Why would I need queen braids since the diadem does not come off?" Everyone was watching her like a hawk, and every one of them wore expressions of blatant curiosity. She looked up at them and raised a brow in question, "Fourth life, Fourth braid, are there any other questions you would like me to answer?"

"Is that mithril mail?" Nori asked his eyes were wide, eyeing the corselet on the cushion Rylee looked up at him and detected a little more than envy in their depths.

"Yes? Of course! What else would I make my Armor out of?" Rylee asked slowly. She was more than a little confused. Thorin just chuckled, he knew about Rylee's love for the shining metal, she loved it more than gold and her favorite gems were black diamonds.

"Mithril is very rare nowadays, Rylee," Gandalf told her, watching her with a glint of humor in his eyes. "What you carry on you right now is worth more than Rivendell and that is saying a lot."

"You mean it is all mithril?" Fíli asked incredulously. She was covered in Armor, and every piece she wore was made of mithril? Fíli could not believe his eyes; she was richer than most Kings. Even his uncle did not hold such riches. Then another shock set in, she did not care for her Armor, allowing it to stain! "You allowed your Mithril Armor to become blood stained?"

"Yes, mithril and dragon hide. Mahal helped make my armor since I cannot sew, he makes all of my clothes, but I made my weapons in Mahal's Forge. Mithril is not scarce in Aman!" Rylee told them in all seriousness. They looked back at her like she was completely out of her mind, she returned the look. She had the attention of every dwarf in the room. "As for that second question, the blood was added to the metal as it was created, not after. It is Blood Mithril."

"There is no such thing," Kíli said staunchly meeting Fíli's eyes, they looked at her in confusion, as an apprentice weapons smith they knew these things. There were dyes and pigments that could be added to the metal to change their color, but he never heard of adding blood to the metal. It would burn away in the fire. He looked at Thorin for confirmation, but Thorin shook his head. Kíli was shocked into silence.

"I beg to differ, considering I made it with my own blood," Rylee said. She reached behind her back and pulled out her long dagger that she kept hidden in a scabbard along her spine and handed it to Thorin. It was silver mithril with a red blooded blade. There were runes written into the metal handle and up the blades, all written in shining red. "It is an ancient practice, which I learned from Mahal. You likely no longer use the practice, considering the kind of power it takes to create it."

Thorin admired her weapon with a mixture of delight and frustration. He knew that she was a talented weapon smith, Mahal and Eru often honored and admired her craftsmanship. It was the making of blood mithril that cost them their closeness. He didn't like the idea of her harming herself to make the metal, and she didn't see the problem considering that her blood was the source of her magic. They constantly argued about it, and even more so when he found out that she planned to spend a week in the forge using that very magic. He could feel her eyes on him as he looked over the weapon, she was waiting, he knew for some response from him. He had said nothing before he handed the dagger Dwalin, and Balin, both took their time to look over the blade.

Dwalin spun the blade on his own knuckle blade covered hands and whistled low under his breath. He handed it off to Fíli, who knew more about knives than any of the others, having a love of both throwing knives and daggers of all kinds. Fíli tried to find a single fault with the red stained blade and found nothing. He and his brother both looked over the knife, before passing it along while Rylee waited patiently for her knife to return.

"You mean the weapons are made with mithril too?" Kíli asked as he looked at her with more than a little shock. The blade made its way around the table and once it returned she secreted it away behind her back.

"My main fighting weapons, yes, I have others that are not. May I have my bow, please?" She met his eyes and nodded once, then watched carefully as the bow passed from Fíli to Oin then Bifur, Dwalin, Gandalf and finally Thorin. Not one rune lit up.

Gandalf asked as Thorin handed her the weapon, "Still nothing?"

"Not that I have seen, Gandalf the Grey." Rylee returned, meeting his eyes. He was the only one who knew her reasons for carrying a bow she could not use. "So when did you become a wizard?"

"Almost two thousand years ago, I and four others were sent to Middle-Earth to help fight a great dark power that settled upon the land," Gandalf said quietly. He watched her as she traced her fingers lovingly over her bow. "I asked Manwë why they did not send you, and he said that your heart too filled with suffering to be of any help to our quest. He said the darkness would consume you."

"Darkness follows me, Gandalf, as much as I fight it off, it is always there," Rylee sighed softly. She carried her bow and placed it with the rest of her gear and stood beside the hobbit who was reading through the contract in his hands, having quite a fit. She could not help but wonder why he would want to go after a dragon. "What's with the paper?"

"It is a contract for our Burglar," Balin told her sagely, "It entails all the necessary arrangements for the quest we are undertaking."

"I see. Actually, I don't see why you would need a burglar, but I am sure you have your reasons." She said meeting the Elder Dwarf's eyes.

Bilbo was skimming through the contract and he started to read out loud, "Terms: Cash on delivery, up to but not exceeding one fourteenth of total profit, if any. Seems fair. Eh, Present company shall not be liable for injuries inflicted by or sustained as a consequence thereof, including but not limited to lacerations ... evisceration … incineration?"

"Oh, aye, he'll melt the flesh off your bones in the blink of an eye," Bofur said, his eyes wide.

Bilbo just looked at him, trying to catch his breath. The funny dwarf with the hat, who teased him about crochet, was now teasing him about dragons. He just could not take it anymore. "Huh."

Then she turned and put a hand on his shoulder, "Courage is found not in the absence of fear, but in despite of your fear. If Olorin – I mean, Gandalf feels that you are capable enough, then I believe you are as well."

"Thank you, but I don't know if I can do this." Bilbo looked up into her dark sparking eyes, his own were wide with fear. He watched her thoughtfully for a moment before turning back to the contract.

"Mister Baggins, we are all capable of accomplishing impossible feats. Even if we do not feel capable at the time," She could almost see him shaking. She knew that there was nothing more that she could say, and she refused to sway him one way or another. She would not pressure a person into something they felt they could not do. She shrugged her shoulders and walked away, whispering under her breath, "Believe me, I would know."

Bilbo heard this, she sounded almost disheartened. She came off as strong and fierce and well, royal. To hear her as she walked away, she seemed deeply saddened.

"Is there any food left?" she asked as she wandered toward the pantry. There was a significant amount of laughter at her question and she wondered if that meant no. The larder was near empty and anything edible needed to be cooked first. She scowled. She couldn't cook. She could make bows and arrows, shields or forge an axe or a sword, but cooking, that was on her list of things she could not do. "Oh, dear, I am either going to starve or I need to find an Inn."

Balin smirked at the girl's mutterings and watched the Hobbit carefully and asked from his seat, "You alright, laddie?"

Bilbo ignored the girl's muttering and tried in vain to stop his mind from swirling, his stomach from flipping and his eyes from falling backwards. "Uh, yeah...Feel a bit faint."

"Think furnace with wings." Bofur provided, continuing in his description of dragons.

"Air, I - I - I need air," Bilbo said he didn't realize it could get even harder to breathe.

"Unless you have looked a dragon in the eye and walked through its fire, nothing can prepare you for the reality of what a dragon is. Stop harassing the poor hobbit," Rylee growled at the group from the pantry.

Bofur ignored her and the hobbit and kept going, amused by the little Halflings reaction to what he was saying, "Flash of light, searing pain, then Poof! You're nothing more than a pile of ash."

Bilbo could feel himself breathing, why didn't it feel like he was getting any air? He just needed some air. He felt his body stiffen for a moment, his eyes fell back and he just could not hold on any longer, "Hmmm. Nope."

There was a thump behind her as the hobbit fell over, passed out from fear. The dwarves scrambled to help him up, taking him to a chair in the sitting room, silence followed for a moment before Gandalf invoked a spell to wake Bilbo from his faint. Rylee shook her head and turned back to her hunt for food knowing that Gandalf would take care of the little fellow, and she continued to look into the nearly-empty pantry. A heavy, rotund dwarf with a thick red beard came in behind her. "Can you cook, my dear, or might I make you something?"

"No, I am a horrid cook. I burn everything, including the kitchen." She whispered in confession. "Nienna says it's because I work with metal, the temperature is always too high. I think it's because kitchens hate me."

"That's perfectly alright my dear. I love cooking. I will fix you something in a jiffy." He told her, with a jolly smile. He started grabbing items from around the kitchen and the pantry, within minutes he offered her a bowl of delicious, heavenly smelling stew. "I am Bombur if you recall."

"Thank you for the food, Bombur, I am famished," She replied as her stomach growled loudly and went back to the dining room. Kíli and his brother were still sitting at the table, she could feel their eyes on her. She ignored the pair, terrified that if she looked at Kíli she would not be able to stop staring at him.

She watched the others around her as she ate her meal and drank her mead. The dwarves scattered throughout the home of Mr. Baggins, finding comfort where they might and talking amongst themselves. Young Bilbo was still resting and talking to Gandalf. Balin and Thorin were talking quietly in the entry way. She was getting interested glances from every member of the group as they came and went and some outraged stern glances from one titan haired Dwarf with many braids and beads. She ignored it, women were rarely allowed on quests of this nature. Dwarves, in particular, were protective of their females. Yet here she was, a dwarrowdam who blatantly offered to take the most dangerous role in their quest, it would not sit well with most of the Company. Once she was done eating, she took her dishes to the kitchen and cleaned up.

With trepidation she walked up to Thorin and Balin and waited for a break in the conversation before she met Thorin's eyes, it was a challenge, and she expected him to deny her. "You owe me a braid."

"You are right, I do." Thorin chuckled as he met Rylee's eyes, she seemed surprised and somewhat subdued when he indicated that she should turn around. She did and pulled out the clip that held her hair away from her face, Thorin chose a long strand of hair. As he started to weave a plait into her hair that signified their odd relationship, he looked at Balin. Dwalin entered and stood beside his brother, "Balin, Dwalin, I would like to properly introduce you to Rylee, My god-daughter. I told you about her. Until seven years ago, I spent every night in the dream world helping to teach her to be an excellent warrior."

Balin remembered quite well the stories that Thorin told them of the girl. In the beginning, Thorin himself thought that he was succumbing to madness and had confided in Balin about his odd dreams. As the years passed Balin convinced Thorin that perhaps these dreams were, in fact, some sort of reality. Finally Thorin agreed and they often Discussed the girl and her growth, they often made comparisons between Rylee and Thorin's nephews. While Fíli and Kíli were a handful as young lads, they steadied out as they grew, focusing their energies on their training and their work. Rylee was a dream child, bright and eager to please as a Dwarfling, then she hit adolescence and she went wild and started to push every boundary, defying both Mahal and Thorin at every turn. Thorin's frustration with her became evident in waking life as he once again compared the girl to his nephews.

"What happened seven years ago?" Balin asked looking at the girl as Thorin braided her hair. He smiled encouragingly at her so she offered a small smile back at him. He was about her height, with long white hair and long forked beard. He was wearing red coats and heavy boots. She liked his honest face, the face of a friend. No wonder Thorin liked him.

"I left Aman to come to Arda," Rylee said after a long moment since Thorin would not know the answer she provided it. She ignored the slight pain and irritation that she felt as he weaved his braid into her hair. This was her normal reaction to braiding. She glanced again at Kíli wondering once again why his touch was different. "When I was brought here the connection was severed. I looked for him, but apparently I was looking in the wrong age."

"You could not have known, and I was forbidden to tell you," Thorin said as he tugged on the braid to check the clasp, and to complete the bond. He liked the way his braid stood out from the others. He looked at the braids threaded with black bone beads, so many of them. Other than those there were mentor braids like his since each of the Valar wove in her hair, and there were others. Friendship braids, some with Dwarven clasps others with Elven, nine in total, and one courting braid, "Who are your friends?"

"There are braids from Durin and his One Eridith, Elorin and Elihara, Galadriel, Gandalf, Elrond, Rohinna, and Kaia," Rylee said softly. She was going to ask Jovina to braid in her hair, but she disappeared before she could get the chance. There were others too, along the way, they never had the chance to place a braid, nor was there time.

"And the other braid?" He asked gently, was there someone special that he needed to be aware of?

"Just one of many suitors," Rylee said, she kept her voice as calm as she could, her face as still as possible. She just barely kept her hands from shaking as she reached up and fixed her hair back into its clasp keeping it out of her face. "Thank you, Thorin."

"Lukhdel." Thorin turned her and tilted her chin up so she would look at him. Her eyes widened in surprise at the affection and she smiled softly at the nickname. He bumped her forehead against his own and whispered, "Go meet the others."

She scowled at the order before continuing into the sitting room where most of the Company had congregated. The Hobbit Hole was beautiful, everything was made of wood and varnished to the point of gleaming. There were rich carpets and tapestries, velum drawings and paintings, maps and books. Overstuffed chairs and comfortable furniture graced each room. The home of Mr. Baggins was very cozy and very well kept. The sitting room she was in had a nice roaring fire on the hearth and she stood in the center of the room and looked at the flames. Rylee just looked at the blaze of the fire in the fireplace before her, wishing that she was in a different type of building and that it was a different kind of fire.

She missed Mahal's forge. She missed Aman, yet she was happy to be here, to finally meet her Ugshar. Even if they were not on the friendliest of terms, and she was here just for another quest, at least she was finally able to meet him. Her tasks in this life were more confusing than all of the others. Why in Valar was she here? Why did they wait for over six thousand years before sending her back? Were there no dragons in all that time? Whose fate was she meant to change? Find herself? Was she truly that lost, that different than she once was? She didn't understand the last bit at all; she always lived fully, did she not? This concerned her, what was she missing out of her life? Her last life, if her supposition was correct.

Dwalin followed her in and stood at the mantle, watching her. Thorin had indeed told him and Balin about his charge from the Valar. If he did not know Thorin as well as he did, he would have thought the man was off his rocker and that he was giving in to the madness like his father and Grandfather before him. But he knew that Thorin was telling the truth, he knew of the disagreement Thorin and Rylee had before she Disappeared from Thorin's dreams. He was well aware that Thorin regretted every word he told her, he could also see that she was just as affected by them. After spending much time with Thorin, he knew to watch the eyes of a Royal. Their emotions were always in the eyes and it was no different for this girl. A variety of emotions flitted through the electric storm in her eyes, happiness, sadness, loss, confusion. She looked as though she was mesmerized by the flames. The stoic mask was in place as she watched them flicker and dance. There was something about her that made him ask, "Would you like to stand closer to the fire lass?"

Her eyes swept up meeting Dwalin's, the tall bald Dwarf with the tattoos. Her face remained cold, hiding away everything. "Nay, thank you, I- um, that would not be a good idea."

He wondered if she was afraid of fire, and suspicion swelled in him. She said she forged her weapons, which meant she worked with fire, why would a Smith fear fire? There was something off about the girl; he just needed to figure out what. There was a lot that Thorin was not able to tell him and Balin, mostly they heard of his frustration with raising the girl who by all accounts was a bit of a hellion. He turned back to the fire to ponder what he knew of her.

"So you know my brother, Kíli, apparently quite well," said the blonde dwarf, he arrived at her right side as though out of nowhere startling her. Kíli stood just beside him. Fíli was handsome like his brother, just in a different way. She looked at him, they stood eye to eye and he smirked at her, his eyebrows bouncing suggestively. She met his gaze unaffected by his obvious charm, he reminded her of that cheeky Durin but just like Durin she held no interest in him or his advances. He elbowed Kíli as he continued, "If he finds you too heavy, you can sit in my lap any day."

"I am honored by your offer Fíli, but I would have to decline," Rylee said with a small smirk of her own. "A lady only needs one lap to sit in, and Mahal decided it was Kíli's when he dropped me there."

Fíli's curiosity in the little dwarrowdam grew. Being a dwarf with a full beard and a direct connection to the throne, maids usually preferred him to his brother. The pair always put the interest of ladies to the test, since many would use Kíli to get closer to Fíli. This lass didn't seem to care at all about his status or his beard. Kíli smirked back at his brother. Fíli looked mockingly mortified, clutched his heart and said, "I thought every queen wanted a charming prince with a lush beard. I was certain you would be all mine."

"I am sorry to inform you Fíli, a charming smile, a full beard or marks of status are of no interest to me," Rylee told him in a straightforward manner. "I already have more status than any maid requires, have no need of a beard, and from one who has met your ancestor Durin, I find such 'charm' overrated."

"Finally, a dwarrowdam with some taste!" Kíli said as he rolled his eyes at his brother, Rylee couldn't help the smile that spread across her face as she met his gaze.

"So how come Uncle Thorin never told us about you?" Fíli asked, sobering. "We had no idea he had a student or a god-daughter."

"Would you tell others that you had a god-child in another realm, which you can only visit in your dreams?" Rylee asked him with an edge of cynicism in her voice, she knew this from her own experiences of trying to explain her origins. "Try explaining that your father is Mahal. See how many people believe you, or just look at you like you have two heads. My beginning is the most unbelievable and unorthodox of all."

"So if you are his god-daughter, does this make us cousins then?" Fíli asked his eyes flicked to his brother. Kíli was oddly silent as he watched the little dwarrowdam. Were they related or not? She was interested in his brother, Kíli was interested in her. By all laws, if they were directly related they could not be together.

"Nay, I was created, not born, which means I have no blood relations." Rylee shook her head meeting Fíli's eyes. Underneath his display of 'charm,' he was intelligent and forthright. She respected that and answered him honestly, "When I was created, Mahal chose Thorin to be my mentor and guardian. It is like the Men of the world when they choose a guardian for their child in case something should befall the parents. I am a "god-daughter" of sorts, only Thorin actually helped raise me."

"What is your story, Daughter of Mahal, should we call you Rúnyatári or Queen Emitheral?" Another voice across the room asked her, she turned to see Ori, the scribe from earlier who interrupted her conversation with Gandalf. He was holding a book and a quill in his hands. She was about to tell the young writer not to call her by her titles when her thoughts were interrupted.

"That is Ori, always after a good tale for his book," Kíli whispered in her ear, she jumped and turned towards him. He was less than an inch away, his lips just over her cheek. An inch and she would have accidentally kissed him. Now, why did she think that? She moved to step away when she found Fíli right behind her, corralling her closer to Kíli. She lost her footing and Kíli caught her in his arms. "Careful, lass, this might become a habit."

"I am thinking you are trying to unnerve me, Kíli," She whispered, her arms once again gripping his shoulders, his warm hands around her waist. She shot him a sly look, "Or are you just trying to get me back in your lap?"

"The thought occurred to me," he winked at her conspiratorially. She was tall for a dwarf maid and yet he was still taller, she had to look up at him to look him in the eye. His hands were brushing her ribs, her hair was brushing his hands. Mahal, she was divine, round hips, small waist, and soft, lush breasts pressed against his chest. He was tempted to pull her back against him, as he instead helped her find her feet. "So what is your story, you may as well share, we all want to know."

"I wouldn't know where to start," Rylee said as she met his eyes, he enthralled her to the point she forgot about the other dwarves sitting or standing in the den. "It is the most unbelievable tale and you will not believe me, people rarely do."

"The beginning is always a good place to start, my dear lass." One of the older dwarves told her gently. Startled, Rylee turned to face who she was pretty sure was Dori, now that she knew Ori's name she was able to keep the three brothers straight in her mind. He had a short white beard that was intricately braided. The remainder of the Company looked at her expectantly.

"Considering your odd arrival and connection to Thorin, the odds are that we will believe you," Dwalin said from his place by the hearth. She turned to look at the tall warrior, he smirked as he saw her eyebrow rise in understanding of his challenge. She was already telling unbelievable tales, so what was one more?

"No, I really don't think this is a good idea," Rylee shook her head. Her story usually set people running away from her calling her everything from a witch to a liar, to an imposter and everything in between. If that didn't happen, then it would turn into an interrogation. It was best she didn't say anything.

"Come on lass, we're all up for a good tale, and from the sounds of it, yours is better than most." Fíli prodded her, her eyes flicked to him and her eyebrow arched, flattery and charm, a Durin trick if she ever knew one.

"Please Rylee?" Kíli asked softly, his voice pulling her in and his dark eyes danced brightly. He was so wonderfully handsome. Her heart soared as he coaxed her into telling her tale, and for some odd reason she was having a hard time coming up with reasons not to.

"Fine, get comfy, it is a bit of a story," Rylee said quietly allowing herself to be pulled in by the handsome dwarf. Fíli and Kíli pushed her into a large chair and chuckled at her surprised shriek. Then they sat on the floor in front of her. She could not help but roll her eyes at them. "You two are cheeky devils, the pair of you."

She closed her eyes for a moment, going over the events of her life. Rylee took a deep breath, a moment to draw the courage to once again tell a most unbelievable story. Finally, she thought of where her real beginning was and she spoke, "Nienna the Lady of Mercy did not like the atrocities that were happening in Arda. She and Varda saw in the stars that there were some great sorrows ahead. Some so great that even she, the compassionate one could not abide. So at a council of the Valar she asked Manwë if Aulë could create one more of his people, a daughter, one who could do the bidding of the Valar. Ilúvatar gave his blessing and I was born in the Forge of Aulë."

"So you are not of the original Thirteen?" Ori asked her his eyes alight with curiosity. "Were you made for Durin? He who lies alone?"

"No, I am not of the same line. Though I am, um, was, friends with Durin, I am not his," She looked around at her captive audience. "I am the creation of Aulë and Ilúvatar breathed life into my body. I believe you call them Mahal the Maker and Eru the One. I was raised by Mahal in Aman and trained and taught by the Valar and a Dwarven King. I was created to help aid in the fight against the great fire drakes of the north.

The first was the dragon Glaurung. My quest was to "Call forth the Beast." They called Glaurung the Father of Dragons, he was a wingless fire drake, but he was fierce and he did great damage, destroying many lands and killing many people. It was my quest to lead the Hero Turin to the dragon so he could be slain. Along the way, we were besought by many troubles. The beast was a glamourer, he would weave hypnotic spells over those who were too weak to see the truth. He caught Turin and his friends in one of these spells and evaded him for months. I am not susceptible to Dragon Spell, I can see through most types of magic and after dreaming a portent I knew what we needed to do to destroy the beast. I led Turin to Glaurung and had him wait out the beast as I swept forward and lured him forward. When the beast came out Turin struck true and the dragon fell, when he did the bridge that I was on crumbled and I was swept away, crushed by rock and dirt and stone. After living in Middle-Earth for a year I was gone.

I woke up in a burning village south of Gondolin. Olorin met me there shortly after and told me that eight years had passed since my last life. We had journeyed back to Gondolin together before Olorin returned again to the Undying Lands. My quest for my second life was "Lead him Asunder". This beast was the great Urulókë, the dragon of Gondolin. After dreaming of the death of the world every night I finally had a dream that foretold the death of the Dragon. During the battle, Tuor was able to hack off one of the monsters forefeet it rampaged in pain through the city, killing everything in its path. Men, Dwarves, Elves, Orcs, Wargs, they all fell under him. I climbed onto the monster's back and using my axes and whip to control him, I forced him into the air. We flew over Angband I rode him right up and into a storm raged ocean. Putting out his fires and sinking him into the cold blue depths, I drowned along with the dragon. Once again, I was in Middle-Earth for a single year.

It was seventy-two years before I returned again. The last was the dragon Ancalagon the Black. When they brought me to Middle-Earth the third time, they brought me to a field beside a vast and growing army. My quest was, "Offer yourself for your people." As before Olorin was there to witness my arrival and to ensure that I was safely received by my hostess, but she had Disappeared, so he decided to stay. The moment I arrived in the pavilion I was asked to take the Crown of Rúnyatári, a crown to lead all of Eru's people. They held the hope that I, as the Daughter of Aulë and Ilúvatar, could unite the warriors and lead them to victory. It was High King Gil-galad who convinced me to accept the crown. Telling me that it was a way of offering myself for my people. I conceded, thinking that it was just a crown, just a mantle to wear so that I could save Arda and complete my quest. I thus became Rúnyatári, the Queen of Red Flame.

As Queen, I had control over the entire army and we set out to kill Ancalagon. The dragon was huge, impossibly massive, and nearly indestructible. The lava from the volcanoes flowed relentlessly, destroying homes, killing our people, the steam and smoke never stopped creating the perfect cover for his next attack. In the end, many people died on the battlefield and the fallout became immediately apparent. He called many dragons to his side and together they wreaked havoc in Beleriand.

The plan to unite the people didn't work, even though I fought alongside both Elves and Dwarves and Men, we did not gain any headway. Everyone bickered between themselves and the lines were beginning to falter and lose all hope. After the battle of Grace Gardens, I felt more and more that this was wrong. I killed two great cold drakes and lost a very dear friend in that battle and I knew in my heart that this was not my quest! Sure I was told to "Offer myself for my people" but I doubted that this was what Eru meant when he told me my quest. I was created to be a warrior, to make sacrifices, not have others sacrifice in my name!"

"For weeks I have been having dreams of fire, but they are ever changing so I could get no real understanding of what they meant. Then last night after weeks of bickering in fruitless war meetings I overheard several of the Eldars talking. About a portend, one that they were hiding from me. It went; "When the Light of Lights falls to flame, the dragon's fate will be the same." When I went to sleep last night the dreams became clear and I knew what needed to be done."

"How did you know it was about you," Gloin interrupted her story, giving her a suspicious glare. "Can we see the crown? Take it off and let us have a look."

Dori didn't leave her time to answer, his question came next, "As the daughter of Mahal, why do you just have strands of braids, shouldn't you have a family braid?"

"Kíli, would you try taking off the diadem, please?" Rylee said softly, looking down at the dark-eyed dwarf. Of everyone in the room, he was the only one she knew would not hurt her on purpose.

Kíli looked up into her electric grey eyes his brow rose in question. She leaned forward just enough that he could reach for her tiara. He lifted his hands and carefully tried to remove the metal from her forehead. It did not move, it was like it was not only fused to her flesh, but also to her bone, it didn't move even a fraction of an inch. There was muttering from the others around the room and even Fíli moved closer to see if Kíli was even putting pressure on the metal. They both looked at Rylee and saw a flinch of pain as Kíli tried to remove the metal. Kíli immediately felt awful for hurting her, "it does not move."

"It is fused, it will not move."Fíli shook his head and looked back at Gloin.

"I do not know why, but the diadem will not come off," Rylee said softly. "I have had some of the most powerful magic users try to remove it, but it is attached to my bones. As for your other questions, Lukhdel is my father's nickname for me, meaning light of all lights. It is written on my hair clip. Mahal has given me free will, I braid my hair as I like, when I like. I don't like when others touch my hair, not only is it offensive to do so without permission but it also hurts when others touch my hair."

Kíli met her eyes and she blushed deeply, she did not protest when his hands tangled in her hair earlier. Bright sparks flared in her irises as she looked at him, and he felt drawn to her, wanting nothing more than to tangle his fingers into those long silky waves. He could spend hours brushing and braiding her hair and he would be content. Mahal where were these thoughts coming from? He never touched hair and no one was allowed to touch his. He tore his eyes from hers and the moment was broken.

Rylee looked back at Dori and continued, "I have no other family, and therefore I have no family braid."

"But the Valar-," Nori protested.

"Other than Mahal, I have no family," Rylee said cutting him off. "The rest of the Valar are my mentors and teachers, they did not want any attachment since I am a War Maiden of The Valar and even Thorin was told by Eru not to become attached."

Kíli watched the smallest flicker of pain taint her face as she spoke of attachments and the fact that even Thorin was told not to create a bond with her. What must it be like to be that alone? He always had family around him. Almost every Dwarf in attendance this evening was family of some sort, uncles and Distant cousins. His closest bonds were with his Brother, Mother, and Uncle Thorin. To have only a singular parent, who could not even be present in this realm, it must be a lonely existence.

Ori really didn't care about braids. He wanted to know the rest of her tale and how she arrived here in Kíli's lap. He changed the subject back to the story, "So how did you help kill the last dragon?"

"Where was I? Oh, right. This morning, before dawn I snuck aboard the skyship Vingilot and stayed there until we were high up in the sky. We were under attack by the dragon and were circling back around for another shot."

She could see and feel the heat of the dragon as it spewed flame over their armies and their warriors. She could hear the screams far below the airship. From her hiding spot on the Vingilot, she could see Eärendil taking the time to aim at the great beast. With each fail, his frustration, and sorrow grew, knowing that they were running out of time. Morgoth was going to win, and plunge the world into never-ending darkness. She pushed the memories away and went on with her shortened version of events.

"Eärendil was running out of arrows and I saw the Eagles of Manwë come in to help with the attack. I jumped onto the back of Landroval, one of the Eagles, and asked him to take me up above the dragon. He was a little surprised at me suddenly showing up, but when I told him what I intended to do, he figured that it was worth a try. We flew high above the dragon, staying out of his line of sight until the last moment. I jumped onto Ancalagon's shoulders and ran up his neck."

All she could think was that she just needed to keep the most minimal details. They did not need to know that the ash from the volcano fell like snow around her, that the dragon smelled of sulfur, and she could feel the heat of his flame through his black flesh. They would not need to know that the monster was so big that it took several minutes to run from his shoulders to the top of his head. Or that his hide was so thick that he didn't even feel her standing on top of him. They didn't need to know that her fear and adrenaline were working at her mind, driving her into the depths of madness, and that the only thing that kept her going was the knowledge that the end was near. Knowing that if she succeeded, she would die, and she would have a moment of peace. They did not need to know.

"I drove my battle axes into his neck on either side of his massive head and wrapped my whip around the hilts using it to steer the beast. He was veering right toward the Vingilot when I pulled up as hard as I could, forcing him to rear back in mid air. His wings began to flail and his soft underarms were exposed. Eärendil used that moment to take his shot, driving a black arrow deep into the heart of the dragon. The dragon fell right onto the Thangorodrim, collapsing the peaks and driving me into the lava."

They didn't understand that this was what she did right before she arrived. She could still feel the ash on her body and hear the screams in her ears. Just hours ago she committed suicide by dragon.

"'Offer yourself for your people' meant 'Sacrifice', and so I died." She finished simply, meeting the wide eyes that stared back at her. She could see the Disbelief in their eyes as they looked at her. There was not a single sound as everyone stared. As she thought, they did not believe a word she said, they all figured that she was some odd conjurer who told great stories. They were like everyone else before them.


	3. Dragon Songs and Quests

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either.**

Chapter 3

Dragon Songs and Quests

"Until you fell into Kíli's lap." Fíli grinned at her in a teasing tone, the tension in the room broke as several of the others chuckled.

"Um, Aye, that was a surprise," She looked at Kíli and felt her cheeks burn as he winked back. She wasn't sure which was more unsettling, the fact that she did indeed drop into Kíli's lap, or her oddly accepting reaction to being there. Accepting! For crying out loud, she wanted to return to his arms and let him hold her! Rylee wanted him to run his fingers through her hair! There was an unfathomable desire to touch his face, his beard, his hair. She, who was often considered frigid and cold and perpetually virtuous by every male she ever encountered, wanted to be held by a Dwarven male she just happened to have landed on. It was preposterous! "You have no idea how surreal it is to wake up from a nightmare and go to war. Then die and drop in on someone's lap in a Hobbit Hole seconds later, only to find that ages have passed."

"How does that work?" Dori asked, his curiosity was aroused, "The whole dying and being reborn."

"Um, It's hard to describe," Rylee looked at him for a long moment. A feeling of discomfort rose within her as she pondered her most recent demise, "Forgive me for not going into detail, but death is rather personal, especially one so recent. My last death was in a volcano. I was dead and then I was not. I went from excruciating pain, to not feeling anything to feeling everything and then harps and bells and crashing and POP! Within seconds of my death, there I was."

"On Kíli's lap," Fíli said again, his tone was teasing and his eyebrows kept rising suggestively.

"Um, yes, I believe we have established that I landed on Kíli's lap." Rylee quirked her brow and looked at him. Why did he keep saying it like that? Her eyes flicked to Kíli and she blushed as he elbowed Fíli in the ribs, a playful smile on his lips. Such handsome lips, sultry sweet, which made his words sound like honey and delicious shivers run down her spine. What would it be like to kiss him? 'ârra, where did that thought come from!

"If it were not for the fact that you dropped in out of nowhere I would call you a liar and call it a day." Oin said shooting her a wary glare, the entire time she was telling her story he was leaning forward with his ear trumpet firmly placed, concentrating on every word she said. "But you did just pop out of nothing, in full Armor, so it is hard to argue with that."

Ori asked her curiously, "Did you know that you look just like the Mithril Queen?"

Rylee looked at the scribe for a moment and was about to ask who the Mithril Queen was when Nori spoke looking over at her collection of Armor in the corner, glinting brightly in the firelight. "Considering how much Armor she was wearing, it's not hard to see why."

"So you think you are the Mithril Queen. Surely, that is a myth," Gloin confronted her, his eyes once again narrowed in suspicion. Through the long evening he wanted to talk to this friend of the Wizard, he wanted to see her real worth.

"I don't know who you are talking about, that was never one of my titles," Rylee countered meeting his gaze, the steely mask was in place. The one that told them that she was a regal queen, hard as mountain stone, brave as the greatest kings. Kíli could imagine her sitting a throne, her back straight as steel, it was as though the comfortable chair they pushed her into earlier transformed into a massive throne. "But I was taught that legends and myths are derived from ancient truths. Considering Gandalf said that six thousand years have passed since I was last here, I do suppose it is possible."

"The Mithril Queen was the Daughter of Mahal." Gloin scoffed, shaking his head in Disbelief. Everyone knew the tale of unrequited love and sacrifice, the tale of the Mithril Queen. "She was not just some small dwarrowdam."

"I am the Daughter of Aulë or Mahal if you please and am both a War Maiden and a dwarrowdam!" Rylee argued, her voice made the hairs on Kíli's arms stand on end. He watched in awe as the rest of the company had the exact same reaction, every one of them were shivering at the sound of her voice. It was a voice full of power, like Gandalf's earlier that evening. Her face was hard as stone, but Kíli watched as white fire sparked her dark grey eyes, it was ethereal. It was not possible for a mortal to have such eyes. Kíli wondered what she was thinking. "I know who I am. I will not be belittled by the likes of you!"

"I can assure you Master Gloin, her tale is truth," Gandalf said through the door. "The tale of the Mithril Queen, though based on her short time in Middle-Earth, is a slight exaggeration."

Thorin sure hoped so; Rylee was raised to be a warrior and a lady, not some sad maiden in a tale of unrequited love. Besides if she was the maiden from the story, there was no way she could fall for Kíli like she was so obviously doing. A Dwarf could only love once, and Rylee was showing all of the signs of a maid falling for her One. Thorin didn't think he ever saw someone fall so fast, even his sister Dís fought her feelings for Sevrin for months before letting herself fall. Rylee however seemed almost helpless to it.

Gloin looked between Gandalf and Thorin for several very long minutes, before turning back to her. "So if you were created by both Mahal and Eru, like you said, does that make you Dwarven or Elven?"

"It would make me both and neither." Rylee responded cryptically, narrowing her eyes. She was studying Gloin quite intensely, trying to gauge what he was fishing for, or was he just testing her mettle? "Both of those lines started with my makers, but my line is a pure line, so I am both and neither."

"You speak in riddles lass." Thorin chided her as he watched her effectively shut Gloin down. Just as he taught her to do, she was always an apt student. Kíli was surprised to see a light twinkling in his uncle's usually cold eyes. It was the same look he often shared for he or Fíli when they did something that pleased him. He seemed almost proud of the girl.

"It is politics, is it not, to be a King, or in my case a Queen? You learn to speak in riddles to keep your advisors out of your hair and off your game. You taught me that, Thorin," Rylee countered with a hard look. She looked at Thorin saw the glint in his eye and smirked. She looked back at a slightly insulted Gloin and offered conspiratorially, "Politics aside, I will offer a truth. By Nienna's request, Mahal fashioned me after my brothers the Dwarves, and Eru gave me life. So, I will tell you that I am more Dwarf than Elf."

"Indeed, lass, indeed." Gloin eyed her carefully then he grinned. He liked the cheek of this lass, she was audacious and smart. She carried herself well, and despite the fact that she had no facial hair she was clearly a dwarrowdam. She looked much too young to have done what she claimed to have accomplished, but if she truly was who she said she was, she would be a formidable foe.

"How good are you with that bow of yours, it looks a little battered," Dwalin asked her from his place at the hearth. He was appeased by her story if it were true; death by volcano would make a person afraid of fire.

"That is because it has survived a rockslide, an ocean and the inside of a volcano." She said softly, her lips were quirked as though she was trying to make a joke. "The bow is special. Until it finds the archer who can teach me to use it, I will never master the bow. Since my aim is a little, um, off?"

"How exactly do you kill a dragon?" Bofur asked her, his eyes glimmering with curiosity. "Considering their flesh is impenetrable."

"With a little magic, Blood Mithril, and a lot more luck," Rylee said quietly. The dwarf with the odd hat looked at her with a slightly confounded expression. "Training helps too."

"So two dragons you say?" Kíli asked, his eyebrow was quirked, asking her to deny it, "Other than the three great Fire Drakes?"

"I just helped with those three, aided in their demise so to speak, but if you speak of the cold drakes of Grace Gardens then yes I killed them. That was two months ago, they attacked me and Eridith while we were walking in the gardens. They were young yet, quite ferocious, deadly creatures, each would have fit in this den. Eridith ran to safety while I kept the little drakes busy. Unfortunately many great warriors died in that battle, too many in my opinion," Rylee met his eyes and answered softly. It was one thing to tell her story like it happened ages ago, it was another knowing that it was still fresh in her mind. She was not interested talking about the battles she was in, or reliving the horrors, or in boasting about her feats. She was not ready to talk about it. Good friends died or went missing in that battle. She mourned them still.

Kíli could see that the topic was beginning to make her uncomfortable, but was it because she was telling tales or because the memory of battle wore on her? From the look of her face, there was pain there. Fresh pain.

"Hollyhocks! Rylee they were bigger than that, give yourself some credit," Gandalf reprimanded her from the other room. His voice was dark, "Neither of them would have fit in this Hobbit Hole, much less that room! You have the most notorious habit of belittling yourself and your deeds."

Kíli was engrossed by the flashes of raw emotion that she was struggling to hide. The glare she shot in the direction of the other room was fierce and angry and cold. The raw grief Kíli saw in that fraction of a moment was heartbreaking. There was a moment when Kíli was sure that she would break down, but she did not. In fact, a cold hard armor slammed over her countenance and her eyes flashed like flint and stone. He immediately wanted to offer his comfort and protection from the hurt and grief he saw there.

"Your time in Middle-Earth has addled your brain Olorin. I think I can recall how big they were, it happened two months ago, and many men died before I could land the final blows. Perhaps if they had let me do my job, they would not have died and Kaia would not have disappeared. You know this, you saw the aftermath," She growled at him, angry and fierce. At the mention of the battle, her mind automatically envisioned and relived the screams of those men, and their deaths at the jaws of those vile creatures. The screams of so many that were sent to death screaming their battle cries in honor of her. At that moment, she could hear them, see them, smell them, and feel the action around her. Her best friend Disappearing from the clutches of a cold drake still haunted her. It made her sick to the stomach. The pain in her heart was almost unbearable. She needed a moment to steel herself against the memories of the battles, she needed to escape.

"Those beads tell me that you have slain more than a few drakes both cold drakes and fire breathers. They are drawn to you," Gandalf grumbled loudly. There was a stunned silence in the room as everyone looked at the gems in Rylee's hair, a multitude of at least thirty. "You were constantly breaking out of your quarters to hunt the beasts. You wanted a dragon slayer, Kíli, and the Valar have granted you one. Every black gem in her hair indicates a dragon kill."

Now he did it. Thorin gave her a severe look, and Rylee paled at the sight. He was going to kill her. She was not supposed to hunt alone, but it was in her blood now, and she despised the beasts so fiercely. She could feel him counting the black bone beads that decorated her hair, one for every kill, Forty in total. The others were looking at her hair as well, picking out the various types of beads.

"This is like facing a bloody inquisition. Excuse me," She whispered as she stood from her seat and swept out of the room head held high. She was not sure where she was going or what she needed to do, she just needed to be away. She picked up her bow and cradled it gently in her hands. It was habit to carry it, she felt almost naked without it close by. She could not fathom why, but the touch of the wood, the cord set to the perfect tension, it soothed her. Even though she still could not hit a target with it, and she feared she never would, touching it still helped ease her sorrows.

Just holding it in her hands calmed her. She took a deep breath to steady herself. She could not cry here, she could not show weakness, she could not show any emotion. 'Just breathe Rylee, breathe.' She could almost hear Kaia's voice as she repeated the mantra to herself. 'You can cry later, when you are alone, when there are not so many prying eyes and people around to make judgment.' She would allow herself to cry later. Rylee took a deep breath and pulled in every bit of her emotion, tightening it into a ball in her chest, holding it there until it began to Dissipate into a more controllable state. Squaring her shoulders she walked into the room where Bilbo and Gandalf were seated.

"You would do well to remember that I have not yet grieved for those who have fallen, Olorin," Rylee chided him from the doorway. She looked at up at him as he looked down at a quiet and reflective Hobbit. She shook off the feeling of Discordance as she once again took in his face and his clothes. He was so different than she remembered him to be. Why did he change his form? "I have not had time to reflect on what took place. The wounds are still raw."

Gandalf looked up and met her eyes. The steel mask was in place, hard and cold. The Stone Faced Queen was in full force, and her eyes, those electric eyes were dull, washed out. Barely a spark remained, indicating deep and unending sadness. "I apologize, my friend. I forget that for you only seconds pass between lifetimes. It was not my intention to cause you pain."

Gandalf remembered her telling him how she felt so utterly helpless near the end of her last life. In the end, she became a husk of the curious, fearless, lively, loving Dwarrowdam that he met when she first arrived in Middle-Earth. She was ready to die, all of the fire burned out of her soul from the acts of war that were committed in her name. Now she was back, dropped into the middle of an adventure, with no time to mourn or recover from her losses.

"You are forgiven, Olorin, but only because you are my friend. Though you have changed a great deal since I saw you last, it is rather Disconcerting." Rylee said softly the corner of her lip lifted in a half-hearted smile. "Who else is going to believe me when I drop in out of nowhere?"

"I think after your latest entrance we can raise that number to fifteen. Please call me Gandalf. Otherwise, we will all be confused including me. What is your quest this time, Rylee?" Gandalf asked towering over her. "Other than find the archer who can teach you?"

"Change the Hands of Fate. I don't know what I am supposed to change or when I am supposed to change it, Olor- sorry, Gandalf, but that is my quest. There is more, but I don't understand what it means at all." She said to him as she paced the small room. Reflecting on her quest Rylee wondered what Eru meant by live fully. She found her family, but now what? Was there something missing from her life? Was there something she was supposed to accomplish that she didn't do before? And this will be the last, the last what? The last Dragon? The last quest? The last life? She turned to Gandalf, "When did Nienna tell you I was coming?"

"In all honesty, I didn't realize what the message was until you arrived. It was a song she sang long ago, a very sad song, I thought it was just a dream or a memory. That was three months ago," Gandalf said quietly. It was a song of unsung wishes.

"Will you be needing a room for the night Miss Rylee?" Bilbo asked her all of a sudden, remembering his manners, it was quite late and if his guests were staying the night, the lady should have first pick of guest rooms.

"Thank you Mr. Baggins, but that is not necessary, I will find suitable accommodations on my own. I do appreciate your offer though," Rylee smiled at the small Hobbit.

"Please call me Bilbo, I too do not want to stand on formality," Bilbo said softly looking up into her eyes. He once heard that age could be seen within the eyes of a soul, that a person who has seen and done great things would have eyes that defied their age or their presence. He now knew it to be true, ancient wisdom lived in her eyes. After listening to her story and remembering the advice she gave him, he marveled at the feats she accomplished. Could he do that?

"I thank you Bilbo for all of your hospitality," Rylee told him, she bowed slightly forward and met his eyes, "unfortunately all I can offer in return is my friendship."

He looked up at her in surprise, all he did was offer her a spare bedroom, and it was not like he did anything special. "It is my pleasure to have you as a guest in my home, Rylee, and I would like to offer my friendship in return. Upon that note, I am going to my bed, it is late and it has been a trying day. I am sorry Gandalf, but I do not think I can do this."

Bilbo headed to his bed chamber, the events of the day becoming too much for him. The offer of adventure was one thing, and the tales of Dragons was luring. On the plus side he was to be the burglar, he didn't know what he had to steal, but at least he didn't have to be the Dragon Slayer. To be part of something so bold, it would be worth a tale or two. Meeting a queen from the First Age and hearing her heartbreaking stories, he was intrigued by her. Her sudden appearance in his home made her seem magical, it was like a fairy story come to life. If he didn't go, he would never learn of her fate and find out about the Dragon of Erebor, he would not know the ending to the tale of the King Under the Mountain. If he stayed home, he would live peacefully in the comfort of his home, with his books, and his garden, and his pipe and the warm coziness of Bag End. He did not have the courage to go on such an adventure. Even one filled with Dragons, Queens, and Kings.

Rylee met Gandalf's eyes and whispered with a small smile, "I am confident you shall see him in the morning. He reminds me of Fleet Took."

"I do agree, Rylee," Gandalf said as he watched the Hobbit walk down the hall, "On both accounts."

The rest of the Dwarves were gathered in the den and a song started. Rylee was quite familiar with the deep bass and baritone of this Dwarf song. The only song Thorin was allowed to teach her. It pulled her like a siren pulled a fisherman. Leaving the study and Gandalf behind, she picked up her bow and returned to the den with the others. She stood at the doorway looking in at the Company, watching and learning everything she could. Thorin started to sing, and Rylee joined her alto voice to his baritone, harmonizing with him.

Far over the misty mountains cold

To dungeons deep and caverns old

We must away ere break of day

To seek the pale enchanted old.

The dwarves of yore made mighty spells,

While hammers fell like ringing bells

In places deep, where dark things sleep,

In hallow halls beneath the fells.

Her heart clenched as she looked upon the longing in the faces of the Dwarves singing their song of home. She met the eyes of Kíli, and it took all of her concentration not to falter as she sang with the others. He was handsome, verily so, he was tall for a dwarf, not quite as tall as Thorin, but close. He had dark brown hair, nearly black and those enchanting dark eyes. While she was on his lap, she could make out a trim, muscular frame under the dark blue of his tunic. Standing amongst the others she was better able to look upon him. His tunic was trimmed in thick embroidery with a knotted design, belted at his narrow waist. His breeches and boots were made of soft, sturdy dark brown leather. He looked calm and relaxed at the moment, if a little somber. She knew he was full of life and energy. He carried himself well and there was a bright, mischievous spark in his gaze as he met hers. Rylee could not help the smile that lifted her lips as she looked at him. Something about him lifted her dampened spirits. She lowered her eyes before she looked at the other members of the company.

For ancient king and elvish lord

There many a gleaming golden horde

They shaped and wrought, and light they caught

To hide the gems on hilt of sword.

On silver necklaces they strung

The flowering stars, on crowns they hung

The dragon-fire, in twisted wire

They meshed the light of moon and sun.

Fíli stood on the opposite side of the same door that she stood in. His blonde hair was braided similarly to hers, only he had two braids instead of four and he had braids in his blond mustache. She could tell that he took particular care in his grooming and that he had been trained and raised much the same way she had. Bright twinkling blue eyes caught her gaze and he had that cheeky Durin smile going on. She could see the arrogance of someone raised to be royalty and yet he was also kind hearted and thoughtful. Ori the scribe was older than both Fíli and Kíli and yet his demeanor made him seem much younger. His shy curiosity made him almost childlike in so many ways. He was sitting near his older brother, Dori, the one with several braids in his well groomed grey hair. She watched them interact and admired the older brother for his protectiveness. Upon occasion, he even chided Nori for some odd infraction and as much as he pestered his younger brothers, they both seemed to look up to him. Nori she knew, he was the one ogling her gear. His hair was styled and braided into three points, making him look all proper, but she had a feeling that he was a little more secretive than he let on. His duplicity amused her.

Far over the misty mountains cold,

To dungeons deep and caverns old

We must away, ere break of day,

To claim our long forgotten gold.

Goblets they carved there for themselves

And harps of gold; where no man delves

There lay they long, and many a song

Was sung unheard by men or elves.

Gloin was the one with the hard questions, he seemed to be naturally suspicious and not exactly the trusting type. He had deep red hair, with fierce eyes and several clips throughout his hair and beard. He looked like a hardened warrior. Oin had intense eyes like his brother, but his hair was graying and he seemed scholarly in many ways. He had two braids in his beard that were curled out exquisitely and one at the top of his head. Oh, how she loved dwarves and their braids. Bombur was the heavyset red head who made her food, she would remember to be nice to him always. Bofur had an odd hat that stuck out in the opposite direction from his braids, he had a merry twinkle in his eyes, and a lovely voice as he sang along with Thorin and the others.

The pines were roaring on the height

The winds were moaning in the night.

The fire was red, it flaming spread;

The trees like torches blazed with light.

The bells were ringing in the dale

And men looked up with faces pale;

Then dragon's ire more fierce than fire

Laid low their towers and houses frail

Bifur had an axe in his head, how the hollyhocks did he survive such an injury? The fact that he had was a testament to his will to survive. She liked that about him. He was a warrior like those she fought alongside before she landed in the cozy dining room. Dwalin was glowering at her from where he stood, singing along with Thorin. He was tall, bald, tattooed, and he admired her knife. He was a hardened warrior through and through. He too reminded her of the warriors she fought with, proud, strong and fierce. Balin was a warm-hearted dwarf, his eyes twinkled merrily and he held an air of someone who was both wise and humble. The moment she met him, she liked him.

The mountain smoked beneath the moon;

The dwarves, they heard the tramp of doom.

They fled their hall to dying fall

Beneath his feet, beneath the moon.

Far over the misty mountains grim

To dungeons deep and caverns dim

We must away, ere break of day,

To win our harps and gold from him!

Finally, there was Thorin, the King Under the Mountain, her teacher and mentor. He was different than she remembered, a hard man, someone who lived a very hard life and seen much loss. There was much that she did not know about him, as it was forbidden by Eru. He was only allowed to visit while in the dream world which made their time together precious. They rarely spent it Discussing sad matters, mostly he was to teach her what she would need to know for when she met him. Thus she knew there were differences in the Westron, and Khuzdul languages, she just thought that it was because they were from different areas of Arda, not because they were from different times. He taught her about wielding weapons, leading a people, being royalty. There was sadness in Thorin's true blue eyes and etched into his handsome face. She could see the family resemblance between him and his nephews. She could see the affection he held for them and she was jealous. As much as she said that the Valar held no affection for her, nor she for them, she could not deny her affection for Thorin. He was a second father to her.

Singing with the others about the Lonely Mountain, and their home stolen by a dragon, her passion was stirred. Her eyes were drawn back to Kíli twice more while they sang and she could feel her heart race and her stomach clench. She shook it off thinking, 'it must be the excessive amount of excitement for the day.' The song came to an end and Rylee wiped a tear from her eye. If these Dwarves were going to try to win back their home and slay the Dragon Smaug, she was going with them.

* * *

Her soft voice gave even greater depth and harmony to the already haunting song. It was the most beautiful he ever heard it sung. She was beautiful, the small woman that stood leaning against the doorway, Kíli watched her as she sang. She was smaller than he, just an inch or two shorter. Her hair was dark, but in the light of the fire, her hair burned a deep red, like the embers of a dying fire making her look a little savage. With her hair pulled back from her face into her red clip with the black jewels, she seemed majestic in a wild, untameable sort of way. Especially since the remainder of her hair spilled down her back in soft silky waves, braids and beads glinting like secret treasures. The mithril crown just added to her aura.

She was stoic, like Thorin, she wore a mask that hid her emotions. From the diadem to the Battle Armor, to the fact that her hair was like fire, and her weapons and clothing looked fire borne, she looked like the fierce Dragon Slayer she proclaimed herself to be. Yet Rylee Emitheral looked exactly like he imagined the Mithril Queen to look. Kíli knew the story Ori mentioned earlier, The Mithril Queen was one of his favorite as a young Dwarfling. She looked thoroughly confused by the mention of it, and even said she never heard the story before. Gandalf said that the Mithril Queen was loosely based on Rylee's life, and he wondered if she ever found her One. He hoped not, he wanted her to be his Mithril Queen.

The leather tunic and breaches she arrived in were of a very light grey, trimmed with fur, with glass and silver beading edging everywhere the fur trimmed. Her boots were darker grey leather, also lined with fur. Her entire wardrobe fit her snug but not tight. The thin dark grey tunic was form-fitted and it showed off her curvaceous little body, and as he recalled how well she fit against him, Kíli had to force his mind away from the thoughts that followed. Just under the collar of her tunic she wore some sort of necklace, he could barely make out the shining red metal and the dark crystal that sat beside it. He was curious as to what jewels she would hide under her tunic. 'Ukshu! Did he really just think of what was under her tunic?

She looked up at him and met his eyes, a small smile curled her lips before she turned her head and lowered her gaze. It was enough for him to see their true color once again. Her eyes were a deep, unsettling grey, like a dark, stormy sky, with the sparks of lightning within them. He watched her intently, her face remained a solid mask, but her eyes, her emotions flashed through her eyes as she sang along with the elders. She met his eyes twice more, both times he was rewarded with a small smile and a blush before her eyes fled away. The song came to a close and she wiped away one singular tear that lingered on her long dark lashes.

She was holding her bow, holding it lovingly. It was remarkably beautiful, though it looked fire touched, slightly darkened in places. There were runes and markings around the leather grip. Like everything else she owned, there were bits of the red metal in the design, the nocks and the runes were etched with the beautiful metal. It was written in Khuzdul, he could just make them out. The bow was called 'True.'

She was about to turn to leave when he stopped her, "True, as in perfect aim?"

Her voice was soft and low as she whispered, "Yes, perfect aim, perfect hit."

"It is beautifully crafted." Kíli smiled at her. He loved the bow as a weapon and just by looking at the layered wood he knew that it was a solid weapon. Sturdy and yet flexible, the string was supple, yet taught. He itched to draw back on the bow and feel the flex of it, the strength of the bone on the inside and the feel of the sinew on the outside that would give the arrow quick flight. He didn't dare take it from her; she seemed to need to hold it and with her as vulnerable as she seemed, he was not going to risk it.

"Thank you, maybe someday you can try it." She returned, her voice sounded soft and breathless. He met her eyes and watched as the white sparks flashed from the profound grey depths. A blush swept prettily across her cheeks before she pulled her eyes away. Kíli wondered if she was just acting polite or if it was truly a genuine offer.

Thorin watched the exchange intently. Since the moment she arrived, he watched her. The cold mask that she wore, the scorn she wore as Armor, her warmest emotion a haughty smirk. After the Discussion about dragons and war, she stalked out of the room with a steel armor over her face. Her electric eyes were the only indicator of any emotion, and the dampened sparks he saw within them if only for a second told him that she was in pain. She rarely smiled, and only Kíli was the recipient of that honor. With him her visage slipped away, then it was like seeing a different person altogether, raw, wild and hungry at times and at others soft and sweet, and upon chance vulnerable and full of sorrow.

There were only two instances that he could remember when someone found their One; his sister Dís, when she found Sevrin and Gloin when he found his wife. It was rare and beautiful when it happened, but this was not the right time for such things, they were about to leave on a long, arduous journey. Distractions could not be tolerated. He needed every member of his Company to be focused. Rylee would be a Distraction for everyone, including him, without her finding her love. Perhaps he should not allow her to go with them on this journey. As if she heard his thoughts Rylee turned to Thorin and he steeled himself for a battle of wills.

Her eyes were dark and determined, the white sparks within them were bright and flashing. She too was ready for a fight as she told him, "I was sent here for a reason and I intend to follow my destiny. Tell me about your dragon."

"What makes you think I want you anywhere near that dragon?" Thorin gave Rylee a severe look which she returned with equal fire. "What makes you think we should take you, a woman, in the Company? You would be a Distraction for all of us."

"I am not just a mere woman; I have killed many dragons in the past. You have a dragon at your destination. I am going." Rylee returned darkly, daring him to turn her down. "With or without you I will destroy Smaug, just try stopping me."

Fíli wasn't quite sure which one he wanted to win. The maid would be a Distraction, sure, but at least it would be interesting. He wanted to get to know this maiden, this student and charge of his Uncle. Especially if Kíli's reaction to the woman was anything to go by, this could be very interesting. There was a mutual attraction there. Besides, he was intrigued by the fact that his little brother could make the little dwarrowdam drop the cold façade with a single look.

"You are not going after Smaug alone," Thorin growled at her, he could not believe she even suggested it. "If I allow you to go at all, you will be accompanying us to the lonely mountain. You will not be travelling to Erebor alone."

"It will be faster if I go alone, and less dangerous for your company if I am not with you," Rylee objected angrily. All of Morgoth's creatures were attracted to her, she lured them in like a siren. If she went with them, they would have beasts of all kinds on their trail. "You have a quest to reclaim your home, where a dragon currently resides, and I am a Dragon Slayer, it would only make sense for me to kill it."

"Your destiny is to Change the Hands of Fate, Rylee," Gandalf stepped in, shutting down her arguments, "You don't even know if it is about the dragon."

Kíli could not help but admire the dark glint of fire that lit her deep grey eyes as she defended her request to join them. He felt a nudge in his ribs and turned to his older brother who whispered quietly, "You are staring."

"So are you brother, I dare say you are drooling," Kíli bantered quietly.

"I think we all are," Bofur chuckled softly, as they watched the young maid argue with Thorin.

"Which? Staring or drooling?" Ori asked innocently. His eyes flicking from one brother to the next and then back at the others. They all started laughing at that, Thorin and Rylee moved deeper into the house and away from the others. They were still in a heated battle and from the looks on their faces they were both equally grim. It was eerie how both of them wore the exact same mask, even though they didn't look anything alike.

"You lot should get yourselves some rest, we will start early," Balin told them sagely, if he didn't get them moving they would gawk at the poor maid all night. Neither Thorin nor Rylee needed an audience to their arguments. They moved along but everyone fell silent in order to hear what was being Discussed.

"Fine, so the quest may have nothing to do with the bloody dragon, but it does have to do with your Company. Otherwise, I would not have dropped in as I did," Rylee growled finally giving into Gandalf's prodding. He and Fíli were rolling out their bedrolls in front of the fire, and from where they were they could still see and hear most of what Rylee and Thorin were talking about. "That means I have to remain with you until I know what it is that I am supposed to change, so whether you like it or not Thorin, I am coming with you."

"If you are coming with us you will follow my orders," Thorin growled at her and watched as she grew rigid with defiance. "You will do as I ask, you will stay with us and you will not go hunting."

"I will hunt as I see fit," Rylee met his eyes with a dark scowl, "I am a danger to you, and I will only lure dark creatures to you. If you insist on these stupid rules I will trail you instead, it is best that I keep my Distance anyways."

"You are not going alone, I already told you this, Rylee," Thorin's voice grew quieter and Rylee felt the chill as it ran down her back. Thorin only yelled when he needed to get his men's attention, it was his cold, quiet voice that he used in anger.

"And I already told you, you cannot stop me," Rylee replied just as angrily, just as quietly. Thorin's influence in Rylee's upbringing was apparent, and once again Kíli could not believe how much they seemed to resemble each other in every action.

"You are not considered an adult in this age Rylee. You must be accompanied by your guardian," Thorin tried to reason with her and sighed in frustration as he watched her roll her eyes in annoyance. "If you are caught on the main roads without your guardian you can be sold into slavery, or thrown into prison until a guardian can be assigned."

"I have been on my own for seven years and now I need a guardian?" Rylee scoffed and shook her head. "I have been at war with dragons for seven years and now you think I need someone to hold my hand? I am a War Maiden of The Valar, I will not be treated as a child, just because your laws have changed. I will honor my quest on my own terms."

"So where does this leave us Rylee?" Thorin asked her feeling a deep dark rage building within him. She was the most frustrating child he ever met.

"At an impasse I suppose," Rylee met his eyes, her spine rigid yet her entire aura spoke of battle readiness. She was more than ready for anything that came at her.

Kíli watched them stand almost toe to toe and argue for several minutes about whether Rylee would be travelling with them or not. The entire Company had fallen silent to listen to them and indeed they were at an impasse. Neither seemed to want to give any leverage to the other and stood there staring each other down, waiting for the other to look away. If Kíli was to guess, the girl did an even better job at giving an imperial stare than Fíli did and this was made apparent when Thorin looked away first. Fíli elbowed him in the ribs, his eyes wide with awe as Thorin growled at the girl, "You are the most hard-headed lass I have ever met Rylee Emitheral, do as you please."

"Come, you must tell me more of your mountain, Thorin," Rylee commanded him in a clipped and stern tone. Fíli noticed that she used Thorin's name and she was commanding him for information. She did not use any endearments that would signify their relationship. As though she separated her relationship with him from her business with him, it was a tactic that Thorin often used on him and Kíli. After a moment of surprise Thorin took it in stride, his eyes sparkled peculiarly in the firelight. Fíli looked at his uncle in surprise taking in his uncle's reaction, neither he or Kíli would ever get away with such a thing. He was impressed by this dwarrowdam, whatever his uncle had taught her, she obviously learned it well.

"Child of Mahal, you torment me, but I relent, there is much to be Discussed." Thorin threw her a look of exasperation, before leading the way back to the dining room table. He unfolded the map and laid it back out on the table. He showed her the mountain and explained the hidden door. "Gandalf says that the secret to reading the map is hidden, he cannot read it."

"He cannot, but I might be of help." Rylee looked down at the paper, reading the runes a frown marring her brow. She moved the paper into a stream of moonlight and there was a slight silver shimmer. Rylee pointed it out to Thorin, "Moon runes. They can only be read by the light of the same moon in the same season on which they were written, which is why we cannot read it. I can see that they are there, but the forms are undistinguished. What moon is it?"

"A new moon," Thorin shot her a dark look. "It is the end of April, why?"

Rylee counted off the days in her head and thought about what supplies she would need to make moon tea for while she was out on the road. The last thing she wanted was to attract predators while traveling. She made a mental note to check out Bilbo's garden to see if he had the herbs that she would need. Ignoring Thorin's question she continued to study the map. She squinted at the newer runes and shook her head, "I know the new runes, and the ones from the First Age, but most of this is different, it is muddy. Time has done what it does best and changed things. Regardless you will not be able to unlock the secrets of this map for several weeks. Perhaps in that time we can find you someone who can read the runes from the ages in between, aye?"

They sat at the table in silence for several minutes, Thorin watched as Rylee sat back in her chair and propped her feet up on the chair beside her. She was watching the Company in the other room, a thoughtful expression on her face. Her fingers moved to her throat, her thumb hooking under a string of black and red beads, pulling them out of her tunic. She ran her thumb down and grasped onto the pendant, the casing was made of the same red metal as the beads and the clasps in her hair. The delicate claws of the casing held a black diamond, but instead of a large cut stone, it was carved. Intricately carved, with detail no Dwarf or Elven jeweler could manage. Her black diamond rose. He looked again and realized that the star gem from the center of the rose was missing. Still she handled it lovingly, carefully. "So you keep speaking of your quest, what is it about?"

"I am to 'Change the Hands of Fate,' vague, I know. They usually are, but since I was sent here to your Company, It must mean that I am meant to accompany you on your quest. Not that it would matter, apparently where you go, I go, as you are my guardian." Rylee said softly, rolling her eyes at the last word. She didn't look at him, just continued to look at the company, appraising them thoughtfully.

"So this might not be about the dragon at all," Thorin said looking at her. She offered her services as a Dragon Slayer and though he was fully aware that she was capable of killing such beasts, she was actually supposed to save a member of the company. "Yet you are still willing to offer your services as a slayer?"

"Aye. Tell me of Smaug? How big is he, is he a winged beast or a ground dweller? How long has he been holding your mountain? I am going to assume that he is a fire drake of the north. I need to know everything you can tell me about him." Rylee said softly, her eyes flicked to Thorin and she read the darkened pain in his eyes. "I know he has caused you pain Ugshar, he is a dragon, it is what they do. If I am to be of any assistance in bringing the beast to the ground, then I need to know everything. Leave nothing out."

"He is huge, monstrous, much larger than anything I can describe. His scales are like flame, he burns from within. He has massive footed or clawed wings. He destroyed the City of Dale with liquid fire, and yet we also saw him burn through the forests with a dry fire. His love for gold and jewels is beyond anything I have ever seen before." Thorin described the monster. Rylee was thoughtful. If he lived within the mountain, then he was nowhere near as large as Ancalagon, even though he was an adult when he first took the mountain from the Dwarves.

"By your description I am assuming that he is larger than Glaurung and smaller than Ancalagon. He has been dormant for sixty years, you said?" Rylee looked up at Thorin in askance, he nodded once. A long dormancy usually meant a content and uncontested dragon. He was not coming out, mostly because he did not need to. This bothered her. It meant they would have to disturb the beast in order to destroy it. That would lead to death and destruction. She knew the patterns of these creatures all too well, too much experience with the monsters.

He didn't want her to go with him for the one reason that she wanted to go. The dragon. He remembered Mahal telling him of her first hunt. Even the Valar could not get her to tell them everything that happened, she was not proud of it, and her shame held her tongue. When Thorin asked her about it, she broke down completely and confessed everything. At that moment, he was both proud of her and livid with her. Her recklessness nearly got her killed. The fact that she still hunted others bothered him greatly as did the number of black bone beads in her hair, one for every dragon.

Rylee reminded Thorin of his mother. A war maiden in her own right, brave and fierce on the battlefield. A force to be reckoned with and yet Rylee was even more feisty. She was the War Maiden of The Valar and he needed to remember that. Thorin was certain that he was a very insignificant part of her life, while she was always the bright spot in his, even when they were at odds.

He watched carefully as her eyes wandered over the group. It was like she was studying them, memorizing their faces, trying to figure out who it was that she was to save? He knew the moment her eyes settled on Kíli, her gaze softened, her lips quirked up into a small smile. When she moved her eyes away, it was like she had to force them to move. Within minutes, her eyes would wander back to his nephew and the reaction would repeat.

"So what is with the bow," Thorin whispered quietly to her, after the third time. He felt more than saw her stiffen. Archery was always a touchy subject for her since it was the one weapon that she could not use.

"I made it because of Divine Inspiration and I need to find an Archer to teach me to use it," Rylee said following Thorin's eyes to Kíli's form. He was in his bedroll chatting quietly with Fíli. They were settling down before the fire, ready to get a good night's sleep. "Otherwise I am stuck with a most cherished weapon that I will never be able to use."

"It still steers right does it?" Thorin asked softly, and after a moment she nodded in silence. The bow, the singular weapon that she was unable to master, all because of the infuriating tendency of the arrow turning right, regardless of the amount of practice she did. He looked at her as she watched his nephews, a smile pulled at the corner of her mouth as she watched the young princes pester each other. "That is part of your quest?"

She sighed and closed her eyes for a long moment, before turning back to him. "Aye, it is part of it. 'The Archer is the one who will teach you,' Mahal said, and then he dropped me on Kíli's lap. Knowing Mahal and his sense of humor, Kíli is my teacher. I am willing to bet on it."

"Aye that sounds like Mahal," Thorin smirked, and then chuckled quietly. In his dreams, his dealings with Mahal were often like that. The Vala was full of cheek. He often reminded Thorin of his brother-in-law, and both of his nephews, "Especially considering that Kíli is a master in the skill."

Thorin looked at his nephews; unlike Fíli, Kíli usually did not garner a great deal of attention from the dwarf-maids at Ered Luin. His lack of beard either pushed ladies away or made them treat him as a young inept. What the lasses never realized was that Kíli kept his beard shorn on purpose. A beard would only get in the way when using the bow. Regardless, Kíli was a notorious flirt, and because of his insistence and his bright personality he was known to take the odd lover. He would play Rylee like a fiddle if she allowed it, "And the fact that your eyes are drawn to Kíli?"

Rylee went completely rigid, a pink blush brightened her cheeks before she paled and the steel mask slipped into place. She dropped the pendant into her tunic, hiding it away, and looked at the table before mumbling, "When I figure it out, I will tell you."

"He will toy with you, if you let him," Thorin told her gruffly. He didn't want Rylee to get hurt, not if he could warn her away, "Guard your heart, lest it be stolen."

She met his eye, a small smirk lifted the corners of her mouth but her eyes held deep sadness and she nodded at his advice. "As with most males, it is often so and I am accustomed to thievery. It is late. I am going to go find a place to sleep. Thank you, Thorin, for your company."

"Good evening, Lukhdel, sleep well," Thorin responded in kind. Thorin watched her walk away and he couldn't help but wonder who hurt her so deeply. Was it her suitor? Was he the one to take the star gem or was she speaking metaphorically. He realized that they did not talk about their argument, her use of magic, or any of the issues that they were having before she left for Arda. They needed to talk about it. It was like she had purposely steered the argument away from those topics. She barely mentioned the use of magic, and other than trying to instigate an argument when she first arrived, she was almost docile for the remainder of the evening.

"I won't but thank you all the same," Rylee gave him a half bow, then she turned and gathered her belongings and headed off to find a place to sleep.

There were few enough spaces available with fifteen others in the hobbit hole, not including herself, so Rylee went outside. It was a cold spring night not that it mattered much to her. She was not used to sleeping in such a closed up stuffy, heated place. The war tent she was in the night before was open and airy. She put her layers back on as well as the whip, then she bundled herself into her thick fur cloak. She found a little spot in the garden that was somewhat protected from the change of the winds and curled herself into a little ball. She slept with her axes under her head, one hand always on the handle, just in case she needed to fight on the fly.

Closing her eyes, she let the tears fall, the ones that she held in for so long. She released them in the light of the moon, curling in upon herself as grief unending spilled out of her, in silent wracking sobs. She screamed her agony into the thick leather and fur cloak and let the pain wash over her. Much later, when the tears were no more she drifted off into a restless sleep, as she told Thorin, she did not sleep well.


	4. Let the Adventure Begin

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either. I own only my OC's.**

**BTW: Shout out to my awesome and amazing Beta reader Axel Beau. Love you!**

Chapter 4

Let the Adventure Begin

April 28

She was up before dawn, the fire eye that haunted her dreams all night left her feeling wary and on edge. The voice that came with it still haunted her, seductive and cold, promising power and the painlessness she so desired. Morgoth, or one of his many minions, trying to seduce her into joining the darkness, trying to get her to turn away from her father and her quest. She felt hunted. Mixed with visions of death and destruction, that plagued her dreams, the portents of what was yet to come. Rylee shook it off and moved around the garden, searching out the herbs that she would need for Moon Tea. Then she went in search of Mikhaul. She could feel her close by, and sure enough she found the magnificent steed in a field just down the hill and over a rise. She was already loaded up with a thick bedroll, a pack of Rylee's personal belongings, and several satchels of fruit and vegetables for the pair of them.

They made their way into Bywater and stopped in at the Green Dragon for something to eat. Luckily Mikhaul brought money with her, so Rylee was able to eat. Once they were done, they set out on the Great East Road, heading towards Erebor on their own. They didn't get far before Rylee's senses picked up something in the surrounding countryside.

"You feel that Mikhaul? Like we are being watched?" Rylee asked quietly. The horse nodded her head and looked in the direction she felt the presence. "Well, here we go again, on the trail for less than an hour and already we are being hunted."

They turned towards the presence and turned the hunter into the hunted. They were not afraid of what they would find. Both Mikhaul and Rylee were used to being tracked by darkness, ever since that fateful dark night that Rylee got caught in a deep dark web.

Wargs, a pair of Wargs, they growled low and spoke in black speech into her mind. Much like Mikhaul did. "The Master has said you will join us in darkness. He said all of Aulë's children fall, they are corruptible."

"Your master is wrong. Morgoth and his Minions can stay in their wretched darkness, it will not consume me," Rylee growled forebodingly as she pulled her feet from her stirrups and crouched low on her saddle. She kept balance as Mikhaul charged forward and Rylee launched herself at the first warg, pulling her axes in the air. Mikhaul went after the second Warg, her silver hooves flashing in the morning light. With a battle cry, Rylee roared her anger as she drove the first of her axes into the face of the black Warg. Its white teeth snapped and snarled at her, trying to tear at her shoulder and side, trying in vain to bite through her leathers and her chain mail. Rylee laughed maniacally, swinging the other axe into the foul beasts throat, ending his life in two deadly strikes.

With her hooves alone, Mikhaul destroyed the second Warg. Each strike with her silver hooves cut deep into the thick black fur. Bucking, stomping and rearing to strike the foul creature down. It didn't take them long to kill the threat.

"Well Mikhaul we better get moving. The others will be on the trail by now, and who knows what else I have lured to us," Rylee said as she wiped her axe blades on the black fur. They didn't go far before they were ambushed by another pair of Wargs. These too they took down with relative ease, but the day was wasting away. The Company would be far ahead of them now, and Rylee was not interested in explaining why her blades were covered in brackish Warg blood.

"Morgoth is really out for us this time, Mikhaul," Rylee was introspective as they made their way back to the road.

"Morgoth is not a threat any longer, this is a minion of some sort," Mikhaul whispered into her mind. "Eru said the darkness is growing again, and its claim on you is still strong. You need to be careful."

"Minion or not, Morgoth tries to lure me in every life, I am not surprised to know that the darkness is after me once again," Rylee rolled her eyes in annoyance. Still she wondered who or what this being was. There were dragons smart enough to manipulate such evil, but they were often too set on their gold hoards to attend to such matters. Was Ungoliant still around after all these years? The thought sent shivers down her spine. "Did you hear what that Warg said? All of Aulë's children are weak? I am not weak! I will not be corrupted by darkness!"

"Of course, not Rylee, you have Nienna's Grace and Eru's strength," Mikhaul admonished her softly. "But that does not mean that you should start courting trouble where there needs be none. It already follows you; we will hunt those that hunt us and no more than that. There is no point in chasing down the darkness. That is not your task."

"I know, I know, it is to 'Change the Hands of Fate.' Still Thorin is going to kill me if he finds out about this; one for going without him, and two for 'hunting alone' again. That's the last thing I need right now Mikhaul." Rylee told her dearest companion. "It is bad enough that he thinks I am reckless and impulsive, to add this to it. I just can't do it. He cannot know about this. Just for today, I do not want to start an argument with him."

"It's okay Rylee. I will just run by them and we can find you a stream to clean up in, no one will know better," Mikhaul assured her as they made their way back down to the Great East Road.

"Except that this is Thorin," Rylee rolled her eyes in frustration, "He always knows."

* * *

They were up at the crack of dawn, Bilbo Baggins was still sleeping, his contract still unsigned and the Company was ready to set out. Gandalf was one of the first to say that they should start out, that Bilbo would be along whenever he was up. The other dwarves were not so confident that he would come at all, so they placed bets on whether or not the Hobbit would show. They headed into Bywater and bought food supplies, and ponies for the trip.

Rylee was nowhere to be found. Not at the Hobbit Hole, nor in Bywater, nor was she out on the trail. Fíli and Kíli were both a little more than perturbed about this since they were both hoping that she would be coming along.

"You would think after fighting with Thorin about it, she would be here," Kíli sulked, looking around the small village.

"Perhaps she just slept in, like Mr. Baggins," Fíli told him softly, trying to assure his younger brother.

"You don't think she left without us do you?" Kíli said suddenly as the other option struck his mind. She was adamant about going after the dragon, and she studied the map for a great long while.

"She did disappear in the middle of nowhere," Fíli said, it was a plausible option. "From what I could see she didn't sleep anywhere in the Hobbit Hole."

"That, my dear Fíli, is because Rylee prefers sleeping outside," Gandalf said as he walked by, taking the reins of his horse.

Thorin said nothing though he did look at Gandalf in askance once and was told, "Don't doubt that one. She will be along when she is good and ready."

"Your Hobbit didn't meet us at the Inn and we will be out of Bywater soon," Thorin grumbled darkly. "And if the Hobbit shows like you think he will Rylee won't have a pony."

"Believe me Thorin, she won't need nor want one," Gandalf spoke cryptically as they headed out of Bree and onto the road. Thorin glared at the wizard, every answer he gave was obscure and only led to more questions.

"For someone who was only there to drop her off at her host home, you certainly know a lot about her habits." Thorin sent Gandalf a questioning look.

"I stayed for her third quest, I learned a great deal about adventures from Rylee," Gandalf replied with an oddly amused smile. "Even with darkness following her, a hoard of suitors, or a crown on her brow, she was able to make time for an adventure."

"How much of the Mithril Queen is a fallacy?" Thorin asked the wizard. He did not like the fact that Gandalf knew more about Rylee's habits than he did. He did not like that there were seven years of her life that he knew nothing about. He did not like the fact that she put up a stone wall to keep him and everyone else out. There was a lot going on under the cold mask she wore, he wondered where the cheeky ragamuffin went. If his suspicions were correct, there was only one in their party who could bring her back. With all the distractions that a romance among the company implied. Thorin was not happy.

"A minor exaggeration of actual events, as many legends are," Gandalf said with a glint in his eyes. "There is a great deal of her adventures that even I do not know."

"Who gave her the courting braid?" Thorin asked thinking of the hurt he saw flicker in Rylee's eyes the night before. He wondered if it would hold her back from her obvious affection for Kíli.

"Again, that is a tale of her own. She would not like me to share it, besides she would argue any attachment to that betrothal since she disputed it to the bitter end," the wise wizard told him.

"But my guess is that he stole the star of Ilúvatar and she said there were other suitors," Thorin asked, she said that there her many.

"She is beautiful and alluring, witty and intelligent. The type of woman who garners the attention of others, she was well sought by all races." Gandalf said in surprise looking at the exiled Dwarf King. "I am surprised you know about the star."

"It was a guess, Gandalf," Thorin admonished him angrily. "I have known Rylee since the day she was born. I helped raise her. She used to turn everything into a debate, and now there is nothing. Last night she held her rage in check and we barely argued, everything is hidden away and compressed. I want to know what happened to change her; she never used to be so cold."

"The War of Wrath happened, she lost friends, comrades, companions," Gandalf said quietly, thinking about all of the things that happened in the First Age that Rylee was part of. "She died three times and became a queen. That alone would change a person."

It was not ten minutes later that Bilbo came running up to the group asking them to wait. The little hobbit showed, and yet Rylee, did not.

"I signed it!" Bilbo said as he handed the contract up to Balin. He panted, catching his breath as he waited for Balin to check it over, all proper-like.

"Everything appears to be in order," Balin smiled down from atop his pony as he folded the paper into his hands, putting it away for safe keeping. "Welcome, Master Baggins to the Company of Thorin Oakenshield."

There were some chuckles from the group as they looked upon their newest member. Bilbo looked up at them, excited but unsure of what he was supposed to do now. He was disappointed to see that the little queen was not among the Company.

"Give him a pony," Thorin ordered resignedly, if there was one member he wished had not shown up, it was this one. The one he wanted alongside him was still missing. He was hoping talk to her, to make amends and to get to know Rylee again, and yet she was as elusive in the real world as she was in the dream world.

"No, N-no, That won't be necessary," Bilbo stuttered looking at Thorin, the last thing he wanted was to be on a pony. He had the most dreadful allergy to horses, and the last thing he wanted was to ride one. He preferred walking, he did not feel comfortable at all with his feet off the ground. "I am sure I can keep up, I have been on my fair share of walking holidays. I even made it as far as Frogmorton once, Whoa!"

He was up into the air and placed on a pony by Fíli and Kíli, within the blink of an eye. It took him a few uncomfortable minutes, but the pony was gentle and kindly, so it didn't take long for him to settle in. He was quite chagrined to find out that several of the Dwarves had wagers against him showing up but pleased when Gandalf bet that he would come along. Until he felt the sneezes rise up and tickle his nose. He checked for his handkerchief and found none, he checked again and still not a thing in his pocket, not even his pipe and tobacco. He called for everyone to stop, complaining that he did not have his kerchief and they all looked at him like he was crazy. Gandalf told him in no uncertain terms that there would be no turning back, that he would have to learn to do without such things. It was a little hard to take.

They carried on. They carried on for hours when suddenly out of nowhere a streak of black with a long white flag streaked past. All anyone could hear was a rich, joyous laughter and the pounding of hooves.

"Greetings, everyone!" Rylee's voice called as she charged past on a massive sleek black horse. It looked like a war charger, it was twice as big as the other ponies, even larger than Gandalf's horse! The horse had a long white mane, so long that Rylee braided it into two long plaits and used the hair as reins hooking them on to the sides of the halter. Wait, the horse was not wearing a halter. The horse had a beard? A long white tail trailed behind like a banner in the wind. She was racing to the front of the pony train, going so fast that the company barely made out her greeting. Oin didn't hear it at all, and nearly fell out of his seat as she sped past. "Bilbo, I knew you would join us!"

"That would be Rylee and Mikhaul," Gandalf said to no one in particular. "That horse has energy for days. We will catch up with her later this afternoon."

"That was Rylee?" Bilbo squeaked in surprise, the flash of darkness that just passed was a horse and a girl? He could not believe his eyes. This adventure was already shaping up to be quite interesting. Even if he didn't have his handkerchiefs or his pipe, "The horse is so big, how does she control it?"

"Did that horse have a beard?" Kíli asked in surprise, checking to see if he was the only one who saw the odd halter-less reins on the horse.

"I do believe so Kíli, strange that a horse has a longer beard than you," Fíli teased his younger brother. Kíli rolled his eyes. They both knew that Kíli trimmed his beard daily to keep it from catching in his bow string.

"She most certainly does have a beard, and no one controls her, they just enjoy being together," Gandalf said. He looked over the heads of the Company at the quickly fading back of the War-Maiden. "She is not of this world, and only comes when Rylee has need of her. They are the oldest of friends, having been born in Valinor at about the same time. At least that is what Rylee told me. Mikhaul swears that she is older, though."

"The horse talks?" Fíli asked looking at Gandalf as though he was mad.

"If you listen to her, then yes, she does." Gandalf laughed as though it was the most logical thing in the world. Fíli and Kíli exchanged a glance, wondering exactly how a person could talk to a horse.

At the front of the line, Thorin was riding with Balin and Dwalin when Rylee and Mikhaul galloped by. Rylee's dark flame red hair streamed out behind her, mixing with the shock of white from Mikhaul's mane. Her deadly axes glinting darkly on her back as they road far and fast ahead of the company. Thorin just shook his head. "Mikhaul. I should have known the horse would come with her."

The Company rode for several more hours before climbing a long rise. Fíli and Kíli were near the back of the line with Gandalf and Bilbo. Thorin and Dwalin were near the front with Balin following closely behind. They were the first to find Rylee and Mikhaul as they came over a long rise, overlooking a broad river valley. Rylee stood beside Mikhaul, at the edge of a long clear creek. Her cloak and coat were both stowed away, but she was wearing her leather tunic. She also wore her greaves and gauntlets which told Thorin that she also wore her mail. He narrowed his eyes in suspicion as he realized that when she passed earlier her bright axes had a black tint to them, now they were bright and shining with red runes. He closed his eyes and swore under his breath. The damn girl had been hunting.

Mikhaul was carrying a bedroll, a large pack and a pair of burgeoning saddle bags on her back. Rylee had her axes in hand and looked as though she was slowly working through some sequences with them. It was as though she was sparring with an invisible enemy. Dwalin could not help but think that the woman was nimble and quick and seemed to know her blades well. He admired her skill with them. Something that he would not willingly admit, it was one thing to be good in practice, it was entirely different in battle. Until then he would keep his judgment to himself.

"Her form is better than I remember," Thorin said looking down at them. From what he could see, Rylee was talking to the horse as she practiced, and the horse almost seemed to understand the lass. Mikhaul nodded, snorted, whinnied and neighed in response to some of the things the War-Maiden was saying. He remembered Rylee's tales about the mare whenever they met in their dreams. At first he was certain that his little ragamuffin pupil was exaggerating until he learned that Rylee hated tall tales, hated bragging about anything.

Seeing the Company come over the rise, Rylee stowed and secured her axes back into their straps. The large black horse dipped into a low bow allowing Rylee to climb on in front of her packs. She waited for them patiently and moved alongside Thorin and Dwalin as they passed by.

"You went hunting," Thorin said staunchly. It was not a question but a statement of fact.

Rylee met his eye unwavering, "Aye, a handful of Wargs sought to track us. I did not desire their company, so we killed them. Do you have a problem with this?"

"You are to stay with the company, Rylee," Thorin said his voice cold and soft. "That is an order."

"One I will likely not abide by," Rylee said quietly, still unflinching from his steady glare. "I do not wish to argue with you today."

"We will discuss this later," Thorin growled in annoyance, he had no choice but to break his gaze as he had to steer his pony, Rylee did not. Mikhaul was her own guide. He heaved a sigh of frustration and let the argument slide for the moment. It was not the way he wanted to start their companionship. At some point, they would need to set some ground rules, but what needed to be said was private and there was no time at the moment. They continued on in silence for a few minutes before he spoke again.

"Mikhaul, dreams don't do you justice Horse. You are more wondrous in the flesh." Thorin said looking at the great mare. It was the first time seeing her in his waking life. "When did you arrive?"

Mikhaul nickered in thanks and said into his thoughts, "I arrived this morning when Rylee woke up. She needed to gather some herbs and things from the market. Luckily Eru gave me some coins because Rylee never has any money."

"What do you mean arrive, Thorin?" Balin asked having not heard Mikhaul's answer since she was only talking to Thorin. Thorin winked at Rylee and she smirked back.

"Mikhaul shows up when I need her, with my belongings and her supplies," Rylee told him honestly, both Balin and Dwalin looked at her with a great amount of suspicion. "She is my only companion from Aman."

"She is from Aman?" Dwalin looked at her oddly. "You have a horse of the Valar."

"Aye, she gets a little excited when we go on adventures," Rylee said and the horse bobbed her head in agreement. She then shook her head in great denial at Rylee's next question, "You're not a big fan of stables and pastures are you Mikhaul?"

"She has a beard!" Dwalin said looking at the massive creature beside him. The horse was quite large, he had to look up to look at Rylee sitting atop the great horse. Mikhaul was black as a midnight sky, in fact, she almost looked like she had stars within her shining dark coat. Her mane and tail were white. And sure enough the horse had a full beard. One so long that it was split in two and braided. Rylee had them tied like reigns over the horse's neck. That in itself was odd because Rylee was not using them as reins.

"Aye, she does, Eru told Mahal that he was not allowed to give me a beard, so Mahal told Eru to put my beard on the horse instead. It became a bit of a joke, but I think Mikhaul's beard is most divine." Rylee told him easily, she really liked Thorin's friends. Unlike some of the people she met in her past lives, they were so easy to be around. Even Dwalin, it was like he was challenging her to prove herself to him. "I call her an Eruquine instead of an equine since she is a horse, and she is Eru's steed. We grew up together, and we bonded, so when I was sent to Middle-Earth, Mikhaul came with me. She refuses to tell me how she convinced Eru to let her go."

"So she talks, too?" Dwalin scoffed, about to roll his eyes when suddenly the horse began to bob her head. He felt the faint suggestion of someone whispering in his mind, telling him to ask Rylee to cut her an apple, "What the hell was that?"

"You felt it too?" Balin asked in surprise from behind Rylee.

"Aye! What the hell was that?" Dwalin asked again impatiently.

"That was Mikhaul, she was speaking to you, and wants Rylee to show you her aim," Thorin said with a quiet chuckle as Rylee rolled her eyes. "And she only wants her to do that because Mikhaul prefers her apples split in half."

"Can you really do that?" Balin asked from behind them, Rylee turned around and looked over the large packs on the back of her mare to meet his questioning gaze. He was riding just behind his brother.

"Do what; cut an apple in mid air?" Rylee asked, "You doubt that I can?"

"I know what you can do with a knife, have you mastered the axe yet?" Thorin asked her. Rylee looked at him in question since he was the one to teach her the trick. He just quirked a brow at her, a challenge from her teacher, she met his look.

"I take it you would prefer to see?" Rylee asked a small smirk pulling at her lips. Mikhaul immediately suggested they ask her to use the axe, knives were too easy. Thorin chuckled quietly, Dwalin and Balin would never ease up on her until they were certain that she was worthy, besides it was amusing to get to know Rylee again.

"Can you do it while riding?" Dwalin asked her, she looked at him in surprise.

"Is that a challenge?" Rylee smirked at him.

"I bet that you cannot split an apple with your axe, in mid-air, while riding your horse." Dwalin gave her a smirk of his own.

"Sitting or standing?" Rylee said offering to raise the stakes.

"Standing, definitely standing," Dwalin said narrowing his eyes at the girl.

"What do I get if I can?" Rylee inquired saucily. Thorin knew that it was Mikhaul's interference that was bringing out the cheekiness in the girl, and he was happy to see it.

"Ten crowns," Dwalin offered, his voice a low growl.

"I have five crowns that says you don't have that aim," Balin agreed with the others.

"I have ten crowns that says you can't," Fíli said as he rode up aside Balin. Rylee looked at the young dwarf in surprise. He grinned back up at her, blonde eyebrows bouncing in amusement.

"I will opt out," Thorin said keeping his expression even, there was no way that he was going to give away her skill set.

"And what do you want if I lose? It is not like I have money," Rylee looked at them one by one. She really didn't have anything to bet against, the money Mikhaul brought was long gone.

"You make them each a new weapon when we arrive in Erebor," Thorin said a smirk on his face, "Or are you just trying to get out of the bet?"

"Oh, I don't like to back down from a challenge." Rylee grinned, "Mikhaul, which pack has the apples?"

Mikhaul suggested which of the packs held her favorite fruit and Rylee rolled her eyes, "Of course, it would be the one most handy. Who wants to throw the apple?"

"I'll do it since I am too late to wager," Kíli offered, as he pulled up behind them.

She turned and reached into the bag, pulling out a fresh ripe apple, and tossed it to Kíli. Then she pulled one of her axes and handed it to Dwalin. "Check it out for nicks, cuts or anything that you think would make it a trick blade. I don't want to be called a cheat when I am done."

Dwalin did as asked, the axe was heavier than it looked, and the handles much shorter than his own, but then they were made for a woman. The head of the curved axe was made of folded iron and mithril, there were red colored runes decorating the entire head and the blade was red. The runes were in ancient Khuzdul he could not read all that was written on it, but he could read the name, Blood, he handed it back.

"Everyone ready?" There was a hum of response and Rylee released her feet from the stirrups and pulled her legs under her. She stood slowly finding Mikhaul's rhythm and readied her axe in her hand. "Kíli, keep it fairly straight if you please. Toss it as high as you like."

The apple flew high and just slightly forward and within seconds the heavy axe followed. There was a snick and the apple split in two even pieces. The apple pieces began to drop, and the axe spun brightly in the air for a second before falling back toward the ground. Rylee balanced herself as Mikhaul moved forward and to the right, away from the others and Rylee reached out her hand towards the spinning axe and snagged it out of the air. Along the way, Mikhaul snagged up one half and then the other half of her apple munching merrily on it. Rylee dropped back into her seat and wiped the axe blade on her breaches and then slipped the weapon back into its place on her back.

"Damn, I would have made a killing on that bet," Kíli grumbled behind her. Rylee chuckled and the others grumbled a little.

"How many times have you practiced that trick?" Dwalin grumbled passing her ten crowns.

"Let's just say, I have a great throwing arm and really great aim," Rylee accepted her winnings from Balin as well, putting them into her empty coin purse. "With everything but a bow. I make a fine bow, but I cannot shoot worth- um, anything."

"Perhaps you just have not had the right teacher," Kíli said cheekily. Rylee blushed but said nothing. Thorin looked at his nephew for a long moment and wondered if Rylee was correct and the bow would choose Kíli as her teacher.

The company kept moving steadily forward over the hills and dales through grasslands and over small ridges. Rylee had never been this far south or east before since her first three lives were mostly centered in the battles that took place in Beleriand, Gondolin, and Angband. She had never been to the Shire since it didn't exist in the First Age. Most Hobbits lived on the other side of the Misty Mountains, and since Fleet Took decided to stay in Gondolin with his beloved she never ventured any further south or east of the Blue Mountains. Bag End was the first Hobbit Hole Rylee had ever seen, and she was greatly impressed by it. With its low ceilings and round doors, and indoor plumbing, and the cozy furnishings she could see it as a very welcoming little home. This age had the most marvelous inventions.

When she went into Bree, she was still greatly impressed by the tall structures and the friendly people, the mix of races that seemed to get along amicably. They didn't even blink when she entered the Inn for breakfast, and the barmaid was friendly and welcoming. Now that they were on the road and she had time to take in her surroundings, she was once again awed by the scenery. She could see the Mountains far in the distance, and whenever they reached a hilltop, she could see the changes in terrain roll out before her for miles upon miles. At the pace, they were going it would take them weeks to reach the foothills of those mountains. It would be even longer if they were on foot. The sheer size of Middle-Earth always surprised her and made her feel so incredibly small.

The sun was beginning its descent toward the horizon before Thorin decided to stop for the night in a low-lying glade in the cover of a dense wall of trees. Judging by the angle of the sun Rylee estimated that there were about two hours left before sunset. Just enough time to set up a camp and get rotations and chores completed before getting into bedrolls. Thorin had Oin and Gloin set the fire and Bombur and Bilbo to cook when Dwalin asked why Rylee didn't help the rotund dwarf. Thorin chuckled quietly as Gandalf responded, "Not unless you like eating rock, she cannot cook."

"I take it the lessons with Nienna didn't fare so well," Thorin said softly, and got a laugh from Gandalf and earned a steel look from the dwarrowdam.

"When I told you lessons with Nienna were not going well, I may have underplayed exactly how bad they were," Rylee said as she started unpacking the bags on Mikhaul's back. "Even Mikhaul knows this, which is why most of this stuff, is fruit and vegetables that we can both eat raw."

She opened up the saddlebags and displayed the carrots, apples, potatoes, zucchinis, and a few pears. Mikhaul knew how much Rylee loved pears. She grabbed an apple and a small knife from her boot and sliced the apple in half offering both halves to Mikhaul. Then she grabbed a pear for herself. "Anyone want an apple or piece of fruit? Maybe Bombur can use some of this in a stew or something?"

"How bad were they?" Thorin asked quietly, he didn't think she would appreciate a loud open conversation.

"I may have set a few things on fire," Rylee whispered before she turned back to her task. "Like the entire kitchen."

Thorin started to laugh, he met Gandalf's eyes, and they both shared a chuckle at Rylee's expense. Rylee ignored them both and continued unpacking. Her last pack contained a change of clothes; her leathers, the same ones she always kept on hand for her. The leather darkened to black. With bright red beads along the fur lined cuffs. Then there were extra undergarments because Rylee couldn't stand feeling unclean. There was soap and a bath sheet as well, at the very bottom was her Kit, her Journal and her quill and ink. Rylee laughed, putting them back into the pack, "Oh, Mikhaul, you know me so well. Thank you."

Rylee waited for the others to set up their bedrolls before she placed hers further away from the fire. She knew that regardless of where the ponies slept Mikhaul would sleep beside her. There was no tether that Mikhaul could not get out of, and she was not the kind of horse that would ever run off. Few people enjoyed sleeping next to horses, so it was Rylee's intention to keep herself and Mikhaul further away from the group.

Mikhaul requested Rylee to help her clean up her messy braids and matted tail, wanting to have a brush down before settling in for the night. So she spent the next half hour, unraveling the horse's braids and currying her down with a fine toothed curry comb that she found in the packs. Then she began the processes of braiding her beard and mane, in the fashion that Mikhaul preferred. When she was done, she gave the horse a pat on her neck, "There you go, beautiful Mikhaul. Have a good night."

Mikhaul slowly lowered herself to the ground lying down beside her mistress. Rolling a bit onto her side and tucking her legs a bit underneath her, so that her belly was offered for warmth and yet she would be able to rise quickly. Her head and feet positioned in the same direction as Rylee's bedroll. Rylee removed her axes and sat on her bedroll with her whetstone and oilcloth, and then she began working her blades, checking for nicks, scratches and any imperfections in the construction. She made them similar to how she made swords, layering harder ore around the softer iron and slowly blending the metals in the billet. It was no hatchet or wood cutting axe. It was more than that. When she was satisfied with the axes she put them back in their holsters and placed them under her pillow, she didn't sleep in the wild without her axes close by. Mahal knew she did not sleep anywhere without them close by.

Kíli watched her from where He and Fíli placed their bedrolls on the opposite side of the camp. Her movements were almost ritualistic, as though she was going through the motions of tasks that were second nature to her. She stood and grabbed the clasp of the whip and with a nearly silent click the metal began to pool around her feet. Stepping out of the circle she pulled the long metal coils into her lap and sat back in her seat. She began to work the fine rings that created the whip. His curiosity got the best of him and Kíli moved to sit beside her and took the tail of the whip in his hands. He initially thought that the whip was just some sort of fine chain, but really it was more than that. Each ring sat parallel to the next, like beads placed on a very fine wire. They went from the smallest bead in his hand which was little more than the head of a pin to the sturdy heavier rings that were as thin and flat as coins. There were four tiny grooves in each one of the rings and Kíli wondered what the grooves were for.

"How often do you clean it?" Kíli asked her in the fading sunlight, watching as it lit the red in her hair. While they travelled he watched the sun shining on the braids and the long dark red waves that spilled down her back. At Bilbo's he thought maybe her hair was dark brown with red tones, but in the light of the sun he saw that it was a deep dark auburn, darker than any red he ever saw. It was like dark fire and left him wondering if it still felt as silky as he remembered, or if it was just his imagination.

"After it has seen any type of use, I only clean it now because of the volcano. I was uncertain what the damage might be. Watch your hands, Kíli, I need to work the blades now." Rylee told him, her voice soft and low, as though she meant to keep a secret. He released the end and looked up at her as she pressed a small button on the handle, right near where a hilt would be on a sword. Like a snake unraveling its coils, four sets of fine red blades flicked out from the grooves in the long beaded silver chain. Each individual blade linked to make four long cutting edges and from the tip down it would look like a four-pointed star. Her fingers were deft and sure as she used the oiled cloth to clean each blade checking for imperfections as she went.

"How does it not cut you when you are wearing it? What if it opened?" Kíli asked, not liking the image that popped into his mind as he thought of the consequences.

"That has only ever happened once, on purpose." She said then was silent for a long time, and Kíli wondered if she was ignoring him intentionally. But he saw her brow furrow in concentration as she worked on a set of links near the tail that looked slightly damaged, working them with stone and cloth until they shone and moved independently once again. It didn't take her long to work the entire whip from handle to tail. Flicking the button on the whip again, the blades retracted. She coiled it back up and pushed the tail of the whip into a hole at the end of the handle, clicking it closed. "As long as the tail is in this catch, the knives will not release, it is like a safety clip."

"Where did you get such a weapon?" Kíli asked as he took the coil from her hands, inspecting the odd whip. He moved his hand over the links all the way to the handle. There were runes on it, engraved into the metal. "I don't recognize these."

"It is interesting, is it not, that time can change things that seem inconsequential, but the loss becomes profound when the knowledge of lost things is required," She said softly. A small smile curled her lips. "They say, Strength, Flexibility, and Accuracy, Her name is Dragons Bane."

"Dragons Bane?" Kíli asked in surprise. She named her whip? He knew of great swords and axes that had names, but really, a whip?

"Aye, I called her Dragons Bane when the enemy started calling me that," Rylee chuckled. Few people ever believed that the whip could be deadly until they saw it in action. She stood and put the oil, cloth and stone back into her pack. Then she moved to the bags that sat just behind her massive steed and pulled out a journal. It looked much like Ori's leather bound paper-filled book, and Kíli wondered if she was a scribe like he was. She rummaged for something and upon finding it she let out a soft, 'aha!' which Kíli could not help but chuckle at. The horse sent a suggestion into his mind and Kíli looked at the horse and grinned, a small snort left the horse in response. As Rylee righted herself, Mikhaul took that moment to adjust her feet, hooking Rylee's leg in the process. Kíli watched in slow motion as the unsuspecting girl, toppled backwards into his lap. She was clutching her journal to her chest as she dropped, it was easy enough for Kíli to reach out and catch her. Just as Mikhaul planned it.

"Mikhaul!" She cried in protest as she landed once again in the safety of Kíli's arms. She blinked up at him, and her stomach clenched tightly, her heart began to race. She moved to get up, but Kíli tightened his grip, as he looked down at her. Their eyes met and suddenly she wasn't sure she wanted to go anywhere.

Across the camp, Fíli and Thorin were both watching the pair in amusement. Fíli asked quietly, "Do you think she realizes yet that the horse tripped her on purpose?"

"Do you think she realizes that Kíli was in on it?" Thorin scoffed, he sighed and knew that he needed to make a decision to either let this continue or to nip the romance in the bud.

"Are you okay with this? Kíli flirting with the Daughter of Mahal," Fíli asked, looking at Thorin. His uncle looked quite undecided and he was quite surprised at his inaction. Usually, he preferred Kíli to keep his focus on the matters at hand, not distracting himself with lovely maidens.

"I have not yet made up my mind about it. I am more concerned that Kíli will hurt Rylee in the process," Thorin grumbled, looking at the pair as Rylee tried once again unsuccessfully to be released from Kíli's lap. A bright flush adorned the lass's cheeks. "She may have seen battle and death, and she may have been chased by suitors, but she has no experience with love."

"What do you mean, uncle? She has a courting braid." Fíli asked as he watched the two. Kíli flipped the girl's journal open on both of their laps, using one arm to keep the book and turn the pages while his other arm wrapped possessively around Rylee's waist. While Rylee looked up at Kíli with an expression caught somewhere between confusion and adoration.

"I asked her about it and she showed no care for the man, barely even blinked. Her reaction to Kíli tells me that he is her One." Thorin stated softly, there was no denying the look that she gave Kíli whenever she met his eyes. Pure adoration, a small hidden smirk pulled her lips and a soft, breathy laugh. When she was around Kíli, she went from a pretty maid to a stunning dwarrowdam, her face lit from within.

"How do you know?" Fíli asked his curiosity was piqued.

"Have you not seen the way she looks at him? As though her mask of indifference falls away, you can see every emotion written on her face. Blatant admiration and interest in everything he does. Your mother had that same look about her when she first met your father." Thorin said as he watched the couple across the camp, "Rylee is really strong, if she really wanted out of his lap, she would have been up within seconds, but she stays. She lets her hand brush across his when she turns the page, and she has curled her body towards his for balance instead of away."

"Are you certain that she is not just flirting with him?" Fíli asked as he watched Rylee look up at his brother, there was a softness about her that was usually missing, a small smile she only shared with Kíli. "Never mind, I think I see what you mean, when she is with him that darkness disappears and she damn near sparkles."

"Aye, I have known that girl since she was born Fíli," Thorin confided in his nephew, he met Fíli's eyes for a moment. "There was once a time when there was no misery, no mask, only love and light. I would like to see that girl again and I have a feeling that Kíli is the only one who can bring her back."

"So you are more worried that Kíli will mess it up?" Fíli asked furrowing his brow, then glared at his younger brother as the realization hit. He was young, impetuous, a notorious flirt and liked to play the ladies at Ered Luin. The lack wit was likely to say or do something that would offend Rylee, and then he would brush it off as nothing.

"Aye, if I allow this to continue," Thorin said as he tried to keep his own mind on the tasks at hand. He turned away and started giving out orders and setting up the watch rotation for the night. "For now we will just wait and see what, if anything, develops."

Rylee looked up at the Dwarf Prince as he held her in his arms, wondering what the hell was wrong with her. Mahal told her what it would be like to find her One, but it could not be happening now, could it? Was that what Eru meant when he said to live fully? Was she meant to find him now? The night before she brushed off the strange feelings that she was experiencing, but this was a new day, and the same odd emotions were haunting her. It could not be a coincidence. She really had no experience with men, or emotions or love. Her greatest friendships had been with Kaia and Jovina both of whom disappeared. Her next closest friend was with Olorin, who was now called Gandalf, and he was more of a companion or a guide than a friend. She had other friends too, a pair she even made a match for, but never before was there someone like Kíli.

"So you actually made all of these?" Kíli asked flipping through the book. It was less of a journal and more of a planner. She had sketches of various weapons, with measurements, types of metals, colors of burning temperatures for each metal. There were notes on how many folds the sword ended up needing versus the original estimate. Most of it was written in Khuzdul, but there was also some written in the flowing Elven scripts as well. Kíli could read only half of it.

"Most of them, it is a very time-consuming processes and I was at war. I didn't get a lot of time to spend in the forge," Rylee whispered as she allowed him to turn the pages, their hands brushing sending sharp heat through her flesh.

"Surely as a Weaponsmith you can shoot an arrow, Rylee," his tone while gentle was almost an admonishment. He snapped the book shut and set it on the bedroll beside him. With his hand now free he had to fight the urge not to let it roam where it wanted to, instead he put it on her knee feeling the cords of the muscles through the thick leather of her breaches. He marveled at her, without the bulk of her heavy cloak and the axes and the whip, she was quite small, and light. He could hold her in his arms for hours without becoming fatigued. He was already acting inappropriately by keeping her in his lap. There was no way he wanted to push his luck. Not with Thorin glaring at them across the camp.

"Do you honestly think that you can teach me what Thorin and Mahal could not?" Rylee asked him, her eyebrow quirked up in a challenge. With the book gone her free hand was getting up to no good, it found the string on the collar of his tunic and was playing with it. She twined the cord through her fingers, before releasing it and starting all over again.

"Mahal tried to teach you?" Kíli asked incredulously. Her hand so close to his heart was driving him to madness, he wanted her hands on him, not the string of his tunic. In fact, he desired something else entirely. While he was not inexperienced with the ladies, he was inexperienced with this one and the odd emotions that came with her. He suddenly needed an escape, and quickly, "Up, let us see your form."

She bit her lip, as she contemplated her next course of action. She tried to rise, but his arm kept her tight against him, one hand splayed across her ribs on her side and the other crept higher up and around the back of her thigh. He pulled her even closer to him, and her heart beat accelerated painfully in her chest. She met his eyes, which were burning into her, making her breath hitch. Rylee whispered softly, "Kíli, you either want me up or you want me to stay here. You cannot have both."


	5. Show No Fear

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either. I own only my OC's.**

Chapter 5

Show No Fear

April 28 - 29

"Dinner is ready!" Bofur called out, Rylee once again moved to stand, and Kíli held her against him. He was loath to let her go. She was biting her lip again and he fought the urge to kiss her, the last thing he wanted was intimacy in front of the Company, but damn it was hard to let her go. With a frustrated sigh, he released her and she stood up.

"Kíli, I got you a bowl," Fíli said from beside the fire.

Rylee offered Kíli her hand, not that he needed it, but it was an offering of continued contact. One he did not turn down. Once he was back on his feet, he turned towards the fire, dragging Rylee with him. Rylee cringed as she watched the flames rise as she neared the cook's fire. Fíli handed Kíli a bowl and Bombur gave her another, she looked at him in surprise, the portion was huge.

"You are too skinny," Bombur said with a sad shake of his head.

"I eat what I need to, Bombur," Rylee said softly, "This is too much. It will go to waste."

"Nah, just give it to one of the boys," Bofur said with a grin, "They will finish it off for you."

Rylee shook her head and walked away from the fire, watching as the flames settled back down. She sat down in the only place available, beside Kíli, his scabbard sitting between them and began to eat. As she thought, she only made it through half of the bowl by the time she was full. She stared at the other half for a long moment before it was taken from her hands. She looked up in surprise.

"You weren't gonna eat that were you?" Kíli asked picking up her spoon and taking a bite. "Mmm, yours tastes better than mine did."

"I don't see how, it is the same stew from the same pot," Rylee said softly. She picked up Kíli's weapons from beside her. The scabbard was made from dark leather, with a beautifully woven motif in the leather. There was a place for his bow, a quiver for his arrows, and the scabbard for his sword. His bow was well made. Much like hers in almost every aspect, only where hers had mithril accents, Kíli's were bone and iron. It was a beautiful weapon.

She slipped the sword catch and pulled the weapon out of the scabbard, a left-handed pull, so as not to bump Kíli, who was still eating. She held it in front of her, getting a feel for the weapon. It was a short sword for a man, a long sword for a dwarf, beautifully crafted and well balanced and made to be wielded with both hands. The same knot patterns on Kíli's tunic and coat were carved into the pommel and handle. It was double-edged with a piercing point, the blade was made of layered steel. Running her fingers over the folded and welded layers she admired its make.

"Do you like swords?" Kíli asked her with a suggestive smile, a blush swept across her face as she caught the double entendre.

"Aye, I like swords, when they are well made and used right," Rylee returned with a smirk. Fíli, who was sitting on the far side of Kíli, started to choke on his food, "Are you alright, Fíli? Did I catch you off guard?"

Kíli laughed outright and pounded on Fíli's back, Bofur who was standing nearby arched a brow at her over his sparkling eyes, "So lass, do you fancy Kíli's sword?"

"Well Bofur, it is very well made, but I have yet to see if he uses it right," Rylee said. She kept her face perfectly straight as she said it, until Kíli blushed bright red and started to choke. Fíli slammed his fist on Kíli's back and Rylee started to laugh.

"Rylee," Thorin said shaking his head at her in warning. Dwalin watched her speculatively. Around the fire earlier he noticed that the flames rose higher as she drew closer and calmed considerably when she took her seat near Kíli. He thought it an odd reaction, as well as her reluctance to go so close to the flame, even as Kíli pulled her after him.

"What? He started it!" She said with an innocent grin. "It's just a little banter about swordplay!"

Bofur was doubled over laughing as were a few others. Thorin sent her a warning glance, "Doesn't mean you have to play along."

"No fun if you don't play, Ugshar, besides I heard much worse in the barrack tents on the front lines," Rylee shot back, blatantly ignoring the warning. He looked at her darkly and Rylee realized she was in trouble as she recognized the look he gave her. "Oops, went too far."

Bofur, Kíli, and Fíli laughed at her as she looked up at a not so happy Thorin. Kíli wondered for a moment what would rile him up so much until he realized that the barrack tents would house male soldiers, all male soldiers. Dismay loomed sharp inside him, what she must have seen and heard! Thorin pulled his sword and looked at her, "Let's go brat, use Kíli's sword."

Rylee stood and he attacked the moment she was on her feet. Rylee yelped and danced away, blocking his quick attacks. She took in her surroundings as they fought and realized that he was quickly herding her towards a fallen tree. She would be tripped up soon if she was not careful. On the far side of the tree was an open field where they could spar freely. Rylee had different ideas.

She was blocking everything that Thorin threw at her, yet she was allowing him to herd her towards a massive felled tree. Kíli watched intently as Thorin waited for her to trip up. Instead Rylee arched her back, planted her free hand on the tree and flipped over the trunk, thrusting the sword up to meet Thorin's next attack. She held him on that side of the tree, not allowing him to step over the trunk. She was defending her territory!

"Well, now we know that she can use Kíli's sword," Dwalin drawled, "almost better than he does."

Bofur laughed merrily as Kíli sputtered in defenceless shock, turning bright red once again. "But how does she do against more than one. Fíli, grab your swords, see if you can get past her defenses."

"But she's a woman!" Dori cried aghast, it was almost blasphemous to fight against a woman, she should be protected. "One woman against two men, it's not right!"

"She says she is a War Maiden of The Valar! If she is as good as she says she is, she will hold them off for several minutes," Balin said in agreement with his brother. The girl needed to prove herself.

Fíli did as he was told and grabbed his swords and joined the fray. Seeing him coming Rylee pulled the long dagger that she kept hidden along her spine. It was effective as a small sword. She parried and was attacked by Thorin and seeing her opportunity she slapped him hard on the shoulder with her dagger, indicating his defeat to her hand. Fíli was on her with both swords seconds later, again she kept him on his side of the tree, using both sword and dagger against his matching blades.

Thorin handed Kíli his sword and motioned for him to join his brother. Rylee was better than he remembered, with both sword and dagger she was holding her own against both Fíli and Kíli, using the tree as part of her defense. It was hardly a fair match, but Rylee was used to battle situations where nothing was fair and there were no rules. Fíli and Kíli had only experienced the odd skirmish with Orcs, Wargs or bandits on the road. They were not yet battle tested.

"You trained her well," Dwalin said watching the maiden as she finally dispatched Fíli with a hard slap with the sword to the ribs. He would have a bruise from the hard hit. Rylee was sweating heavily and breathing hard, and yet she fought as though her life depended on it. Kíli was giving her no quarter and Rylee's eyes sparkled with life. It was obvious that she was enjoying being in the throes of battle.

"She loves to fight. Weapons and fighting have always been her favorite things," Thorin said as Fíli approached them. Thorin leaned down and grabbed a couple of apples from Mikhaul's satchel, he handed one to Fíli and motioned for him to go right as he went left. Thorin threw his apple at her. Rylee knocked back Kíli's attack and twisted away to slice the apple in half, before spinning back to Kíli, her dagger swooping in for a slap to his chest. He blocked her and she lost the dagger. The entire company heard her enraged growl at the loss.

She saw the second apple coming at her at the same time as Kíli struck at her. It was coming at her face, and Kíli was giving her no leeway to work with. She one handed the sword, barely blocking his attack as she snagged the apple out of the air with her free hand and snarled at Kíli. Thrusting hard, she pushed him back, creating space between them and just enough time to throw the apple back at an unsuspecting Fíli, hitting him in the chest.

"Ouch! That hurt wench!" Fíli yelled at her.

Rylee didn't answer, Kíli was on the attack again, and she saw Thorin sneaking in from the left. She caught the edge of Kíli's sword and twisted her wrist, finally disarming him. Seconds later another apple hit her wrist hard. Rylee yelped and dropped the sword as Thorin tackled his student to the ground and tried to pin her. She continued to fight just as he taught her, her fist clipped his jaw snapping his head to the side. He mentally shook off the hit and pulled his dagger settling it against her throat, she went perfectly still. Barely even allowing herself breath.

"You fight different here." She gasped looking up at her teacher.

"As do you," Thorin said as he stowed his dagger and helped her to her feet. "You are more aggressive than you used to be, and you see more."

"Battle experience, removes the blinders." Rylee nodded, as she gasped for breath. She heard the whistle of something incoming, a rock. Fíli threw a rock. She grabbed it out of the air and threw it back, hitting him in the belly. Her aim was off, she was trying for his chest. He yelped in pain and surprise and stared at her in horror. "He should not throw things at me unless he wants them thrown back."

Thorin laughed at this, she and Mahal used to throw things at each other in practice, just to keep each other on their toes. Rylee had excellent hearing and could detect objects incoming, which was why he and Dwalin planned a multiple sided attack using Thorin as a distraction.

"That one apple led to my defeat, now I have to figure out how to widen my scope without losing concentration," Rylee mumbled more to herself than anyone else. She was running the battle through her mind, trying to find the point where she narrowed her scope, excluding outside threats.

"How did you do that?" Kíli asked her after he caught his breath.

"What?" Rylee asked jolted out of her thoughts, she did a lot, so she was not sure what he was referencing.

"How did you know Fíli threw the rock," Kíli asked, studying her face.

"I heard it," Rylee said as she brushed herself off.

"But you missed the apple," Kíli said, it was almost an accusation.

"I was concentrating on you, Fíli and Thorin. I was not expecting Dwalin to throw another apple, I narrowed my focus too much," Rylee rolled her shoulders, stretching out the muscles. "Lucky for me, I was at the battlefront yesterday so I am still in a war mindset. Otherwise, I would have been much slower and that would have been a short practice. There are flaws in every battle, the point of practice is to figure out weaknesses."

"Do you have any weaknesses?" Fíli asked as he approached rubbing his abs.

"Of course! Not that I would tell you what they are," Rylee winked at him and laughed when he pulled a face. She leaned forward to stretch her hamstrings and spied Fíli's throwing axes. She dropped to a crouch and looked up at him, "May I?"

"Um, sure?" Fíli shrugged, then chuckled as he watched her face light up like he was giving her a gift.

She flipped their catches and pulled them away from his ankle, stood and examined them carefully studying their weight. They were square-headed, but instead of the blade being parallel with the handle the head sat diamond like on the top of the handle. The center of the axe head was cut out to help with counter balance. The runes and markings on the head and handle were wonderfully unique. She tested their weight and balance, tossing them one at a time into the air to catch them in her hands. She gave them back with a delighted smile, "So lovely, well balanced, if you know how to throw them, they are wonderful weapons Fíli."

"Thank you, Rylee," Fíli grinned as he took them from her, he also didn't miss the scowl that Kíli was giving him. His brother was jealous that he wasn't the center of Rylee's attention. Fíli couldn't help but ask, "Would you like to practice with me? Throwing I mean? We can take turns."

Rylee was about to answer when Dwalin held her long dagger out to her. Rylee took it and checked the blade for damage before securing it back in its hidden scabbard along her spine. "Nice hit with the apple Dwalin, I was not at all expecting it. Seems I have some work to do."

"Aye, you narrowed your focus," Dwalin agreed looking at Fíli as he waited for Rylee to answer his question. He looked at Fíli's throwing axes and looked back at her face, "You any good with throwing knives and axes?"

"Aye, Fíli and I are going to take turns throwing." Rylee nodded up at the tall bald dwarf.

"Good, you all need some practice," Dwalin called out to the company, anyone not on watch was gathered in the glade. "Get on it!"

"So what's our target, Fíli?" Rylee asked she was always ready for practice, it kept her ready in case she needed to fight.

"That tree there," Dwalin answered her instead, pointing to an old gnarled tree in the center of the field. His tone of voice offered her a challenge, "You think you can hit it from here?"

Rylee bent and threaded her fingers through the eyes of her throwing knives and pulled three blades from the scabbards she wore on each ankle. She took her stance and started to throw. Her first knife landed at the base of the tree, the next was just a fraction of an inch above it and so on until she threw her last blade. "From the looks of it yes, I can hit the tree from here, Dwalin."

"Don't get cheeky lass," Dwalin reprimanded her with a dark glower.

"Sorry, bad habit I picked up from Mahal," Rylee grinned back, a vicious glint in her eyes.

Then she bent and grabbed the six smaller blades from each ankle, twelve in total.

"You have more?" Fíli asked in surprise. As he admired the black iron blades she held in her hands, he acknowledged that her throwing knives were not made of mithril. There would be no point to using such a valuable metal on weaponry that was ultimately disposable in the heat of battle. Regardless, they were as well made as the other weapons that she wore.

"Aye, these smaller ones are mixed. Some are blade weighted and others handle weighted. Keeps it interesting," Rylee nodded as she started to throw the smaller blades, with her other hand. She was creating a pattern up the tree, when she was done with her small knives they looked like the tree was wearing a plaited metal blade.

Kíli was working with Thorin and Dwalin on archery, try as he might he could not entirely ignore Fíli and Rylee as they practiced with the throwing knives. For the first time since leaving Ered Luin, he wished that he brought his knives, so they could practice together. One of his arrows missed the target and he scowled pulling his attention back to what he was supposed to be doing.

Rylee was about to collect her knives when Fíli handed her his axes, she met his eyes in surprise, "Really?"

"As long as I can use your knives?" Fíli nodded as he asked the question.

"Of course!" Rylee smiled at the blonde prince, she took one axe in each hand and aimed at the tree. Then she let them fly releasing them in unison, topping off her design in the tree. She studied for a moment looking at the pattern, "Left hand is a bit weak, especially the top left axe."

"What?" Fíli asked looking at the nearly perfect design.

"The apple bruised my wrist, my aim is a little weak, and so is my throw. That's why they are so far off the mark. They should all be a fraction higher and a little to the left." Rylee said shaking her head, she was not pleased with her throws at all. She gathered the knives and the axes and brought them all back for Fíli to use. Once he got through his turn, they split the weapons between them and traded off throw for throw so it would speed up the process.

Kíli watched as Fíli and Rylee started showing each other their best trick shots. They were equally skilled and yet they were still teaching each other new skills and techniques to better their aim and their weight. They certainly seemed to get along quite well. Kíli missed his target again and began to swear. He could not afford this distraction. His Uncle was going to have a heyday if he didn't smarten up. His next shot was perfect.

They practiced until twilight, when Thorin told the Company, "That's enough for tonight, we will be back on the road by dawn."

Fíli grabbed his axes and looked at all the knives that Rylee had to gather, "I can help gather them up if you like."

"That's fine, Fíli," Rylee shook her head. "I want to clean them really well before I put them away, it may take me a bit of time. You go ahead."

"If you are sure," Fíli asked, just wanting to be certain. He really liked Rylee. She was smart, understood her weaponry and was willing to share information about techniques and tricks that she picked up along the way.

"Go, find your bed, I will be fine," Rylee said pulling out her blades. Fíli shook his head and walked back to camp.

She ran her fingers over the edges. Mikhaul arrived with her oil cloth and Rylee began to work the metal until it shone. Sorting them into groups as she gathered them up, Rylee separated the blades into piles of threes on the ground as she finished with them. Rylee picked up each set and one by one she placed them back into their slots in the scabbard at her ankle. She was about to pick up the last pile, when something tickled across the top of her hand. She looked down and saw the eight-legged, eight eyed, hairy, coin-sized spider as it moved across her flesh. Her heart stopped, her eyes widened, chills ran over her body and she shrieked. She flicked it off and scrambled away. She stopped and curled into a little ball, whimpering at the irrational fear that was crawling through her body.

"Rylee? Are you okay?" Kíli came up behind her, looking at her as she held her knees tightly to her chest. "What was it?"

"Oh!" She whimpered in mortification. Of all things to be terrified of she was afraid of spiders. It wasn't even a big one. She knew they could get much, much bigger, but all spiders, even tiny ones terrified her, "Nothing. It was nothing."

She stood and brushed herself off, picked up the last pile of blades and checked them for the vile arachnids. She placed them into her scabbard and walked back to where Kíli was waiting. She moved to brush past him, but he caught her wrist and held her in place.

"Hold still you have a spider on your shoulder." He watched as her eyes went wide, his fingers swept the creature off of her shoulder, and she flinched. She was shaking like a leaf, and holding her breath, "You are afraid of spiders?"

She met his eyes, and a heated flush swept across her cheeks. He chuckled when she squeaked her response, "Aye?"

Kíli laughed and took her hand, pulling her with him towards camp. "Anything else I should know of?"

"Death. Spiders and heights and death, what else is there to be scared of?" Rylee rolled her eyes at him. She just hoped that no one else heard her shriek of fear and came to investigate.

"So spiders, huh?" Fíli said from where he was standing, watching the couple. He began to laugh as he saw the look of horror cross Rylee's unmasked face. She looked absolutely mortified as she spied no less than eight other faces looking at her in various stages of mirth. Thorin and Dwalin among them. "Is it the eight hairy legs, or the webs? Perhaps it is all those eyes?"

"Ah! The Valar take you all!" She glared at them, clenched her fists and stormed off back to the camp. Mikhaul flashed an image of a spider into her head making Rylee flinch. "Aye, Mikhaul, it was a spider."

The horse snorted in mirth and Rylee shot her a glare, "Not you too! Go to sleep you traitor."

Mikhaul stood and moved in front of Rylee, stopping her in her path. Then she lowered her great head in apology. "I am sorry my dearest friend, that was wrong of me. Your fear is valid and understandable. Can you forgive this ancient mare for her lapse?"

"Ancient mare indeed, you no longer age, Mikhaul," Rylee admonished her as she shook off the images of the spider. Still the chill remained as she thought of the rising darkness. Could it be Ungoliant, or someone much, much darker? No, it could not be him. He was to be punished by the Valar.

"You are right Rylee, I do not age," Mikhaul whickered gently. She put her head over Rylee's shoulder and hooked her into a hug, "but I do feel sorry for making fun of such a terror. I love you little sister. Forgive me?"

"Are you sure that you are the older one?" Rylee snorted hugging the massive black horse, "Fine, I will forgive you big sister, but I will get you back for this someday."

"Oh, I know you will, Rylee," Mikhaul snuffled, rubbing her velvet nose against Rylee's cheek.

Rylee grabbed her small pot for water and set it up to boil, grabbed her cup and began to add the flowers, seeds and herbs for her moon tea.

"I thought you said you could not cook," Dwalin said coming up behind her; she flinched at the intrusion and shot him a dark look. He watched as the flames rose higher in the pit than before, and as she moved slightly away the flames dropped back to normal.

"I am not cooking, I am making moon tea," Rylee told him softly, her voice was low and Dwalin almost didn't hear her. His eyebrows shot up. Moon tea would keep her monthly flow at bay so it would keep predators off their trail. This was a very public, yet private discussion; he inwardly winced at his error. "Boiling water is easy enough, everything else, don't ask."

Once her tea was ready, she drank it quickly, cleaned her cup and the water pot and packed everything away. Then she returned to her bedroll and climbed in. She ignored everyone else, not interested in being harassed about the spider anymore than she had to.

Sleep took her swiftly and the dreams swept her away. Elves and Dwarves in battle with Orcs and Wargs and dragons and massive spiders. The images of her memories tore through her mind, battles that she fought in, coming to her mind. The friends and comrades that were lost in battle flashed before her eyes. The past and the present began to merge within the dreams, combining the faces of Thorin's Company among the dead. At some point or another every member died. Over and over again through the night. Every image was projected in front of one singular fiery watchful eye.

"No!" She gasped awake as Thorin's image on the field of death flashed through her mind, she curled in on herself and clenched her eyes shut. She struggled to clear her mind, willing the images in her mind to go away. There were still hours of night left, but the vividness of death in her dreams would not let her sleep anymore.

She sat up and was confronted with two large carved wooden arachnids, she yelped and jerked back into her bedroll. She looked at them for a long moment waiting for them to move, for her heart to stop racing, "Mahal! Help me find peace!"

She scooted to the side, leaving the wooden monstrosities where they were, ignoring the chuckles of Bofur, Bifur and Gloin as they watched her reaction. Finally, she looked up at them and shot them a glare, "How many hours did it take to put those together?"

"Oh a few hours to be sure, but your reaction was worth it," Bofur grinned at her.

"Oh, I am sure it was highly amusing, get some sleep," Rylee rolled her eyes and shook her head. She ignored the horrible puppets and stared into the embers of the fire, wrapping her mind around her horrible dreams. Finally she got up, knowing that there was no way that sleep was going to return to her. She rolled up her bedroll and put it with her bags. Then she picked up several apples and put them into a small satchel, and grabbed her whip. "Mikhaul, I am going to practice. I will be back before dawn."

She set out to the clearing that they used for practice the night before. Taking off her heavy leather tunic and mithril chainmail so that only her thin dark grey tunic was covering her underclothes, she stretched her muscles and prepared for her training. She set the apples up as targets, she found some sturdy sticks and fallen posts that she could place in her circle and herself in the center. She took a war stance and drew a breath, with a flick of her wrist the whip flashed out slicing one of the apples in half on top of a tall post. The top half of the fruit was just slightly displaced from the bottom, but it did not fall. Another flick at a lower apple resulted in the same. Twice more she flicked her whip, spinning as though the targets were enemies coming from any direction. A full arm throw, the snap of her wrist, triggering the blades, one of her posts toppled into two pieces, torn asunder by the blades.

Kíli could not help but be drawn closer to her as he was watching over the camp and soon his gaze was riveted on her. It was a dance, a meditation, the flick, the coil of the light metal and the snap as the tip hit the target. Thorin joined her in the clearing as well as Dwalin. Thorin picked up one of the halved apples and heaved it into the air. Its split form wobbling in the air, she spun towards the new target and snapped it into quarters. She didn't miss a beat as Dwalin did the same, throwing the halved apples into the air above her. Both Dwarves kept finding things for her to aim at. She missed a few, at which point they started mocking her.

"What's wrong Rylee, it is moving too fast?" Thorin teased her once.

"Is it too small for you to see, Rylee?" Dwalin teased another time. He threw a stone that was even smaller and she hit it with precision, sending the rock into a large tree, embedding the sudden projectile deeply within the layers of bark.

She didn't stop until she was out of breath and covered in a fine sheen of sweat. Kíli watched from his spot where he was keeping watch over the camp, the dampness of her skin made her tunic cling to her form and he could barely keep his eyes from her. She was small, yet curvaceous in all the right places. Strong and muscular and yet fine boned and lean at the same time. It was like the Valar picked a form that was perfectly balanced and blessed her with it. He envied his uncle at that moment, being able to help her train. She was a dancer with the whip.

"That is enough, Rylee, we need to be on the road soon," Thorin told her slapping his hand on her shoulder, leading her toward the camp. Mikhaul searched out the apple pieces, knowing that Rylee specifically used that fruit for her benefit. "I had my doubts about using a whip in a battle, but you make it look easy."

"Are there any weapons you cannot use lass?" Dwalin asked as he handed over her mail and leather tunic, and she pulled each one over her head, and settled them into place.

"I can use everything but a bow," She replied quietly, she glanced up at Kíli where he was perched watching over the camp. He stood tall, and she could not help but admire his lean frame. Strong muscular legs, trim hips, wide chest and shoulders, perfection in her eyes. She looked back at Dwalin, forcing herself to finish her conversation, "I make weapons, so I test them as well."

The rest of the company was already gathered around the fire for breakfast talking loudly and entertaining themselves. Rylee ignored their banter and found a place to sit and eat her breakfast. The only spot available was taken by the pair of wooden spiders. She looked at her bowl, looked at the spiders, then back at her bowl. She took a deep breath, bent and pulled out six of her throwing knives and one steady handed throw at a time made kindling out of the wretched puppets. She looked at her handiwork and smirked, "Hmm, the only good spider is a dead one."

"I don't think she appreciated the craftsmanship of those ones Bifur, perhaps we should make her another pair?" Bofur cracked with a chuckle as he watched her last blade crack the larger spider down the middle.

"Go right ahead, Bofur, I am always up for target practice," Rylee said as she retrieved her blades from the wreckage, then she took her seat and ate her breakfast. Once she was finished, she put away her things, and strapped everything on to Mikhaul, who showed up just as she was ready to load her up. There was never any need to whistle or call, Mikhaul just knew when she was wanted or needed. It was the way it was.


	6. Riverside Repartee

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either. I own only my OC's.**

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Chapter 6

Riverside Repartee

May 2

They were on their way once again, up on their horses and picking their way over the paths leading further and further away from the Shire. Her dreams were of the same Fiery eye that left her feeling cold and bereft, wary and off center, followed by scene after scene of deaths of warriors both present and past. She felt like she was being hunted, stalked, watched and it was wearing on her. Each day Rylee and Mikhaul would leave the group, sensing dangers along the road, the feeling of being hunted was never far behind them. So each day they became the hunters; three more wargs, two Orcs, a wolf and a werewolf over the course of three days. Rylee thought that things were getting well out of hand.

Thorin could see exactly what was happening, every day he told her to stay close, and every bloody day she and Mikhaul would run off and come back smelling of battle and blood. Rylee's defiance was weighing heavily on him, especially when Fíli and Kíli were expressing desire to follow her into the wild. Fíli because he was curious as to what this War Maiden was up to and Kíli because he didn't like how she came back to camp each night exhausted. He was at a loss as to what to do with the girl, she was much too wild and defiant. Gandalf continually reminded him that she was on a quest of her own and that whatever she was doing must have something to do with it. Thorin bit his tongue and said nothing, but that didn't mean he liked it. He had told her to do as she liked, and now he was eating his words.

Days passed, three to be exact, and Rylee was already feeling the wear of the road. She joined up with the group when they chose their camp, just as she had for the days before. As soon as they made camp for the night she grabbed her pack and told Mikhaul that she needed alone time. She really did. She was grimy and sweaty, things were beginning to itch in places where they should not. She needed a bath.

On top of that the fire was calling to her, and she could not share her magic with the others. Though all dwarves were filled with the magic of their crafts and could do great enchantments of their own, her magic was different. The Valar thought that her magic was simple blood magic, and so trained her to use it as such, but during her first life she found that it went far beyond blood magic. It was borne of her blood, her soul, and her essence. To use it, she needed three things, blood, fire, and song. Her songs were not sung in Khuzdul, she used her own language and imbued her weapons with the essence of fire and blood. Unlike typical Dwarven enchantments, her magic came with a price.

She learned in her first life in Middle-Earth that she had the power to create pure fire, or she could give in to darkness and become the next Ungoliant. The whole idea of it terrified her. The only person ever capable of teaching her to use it properly was long gone. Her magic was basically untapped and untrained, the only portion of the magic she could use with control was the power over fire and forging. It was during this process that she could gain clarity and cleanse her spirit and dispel the darkness that was building inside of her. With the dark beasts that were hunting her, she knew that she needed to cleanse her spirit and soon. Rylee set up her bedroll in camp and prepared her personal pack gathering what she needed.

She made her way quickly downstream from the camp intending to bathe. She looked for an ideal spot that would offer her privacy and would be defensible if someone showed up. Finding a pretty little spot just below a waterfall, she scouted for a few minutes to make sure that there was no one close by. She sensed nothing, she saw no danger. Then she made a small fire pit using a rock and piled a few large logs into it and set her palm underneath. Finding her spark, a fire shot up from her palm and into the wood, instantly igniting the kindling she set.

She tended the fire, so she could dry her clothes after she was done washing them. If she caught a fish or two, she would be able to heat them up. The thought made her stomach turn, they always burned on the outside and were raw on the inside. Not great fare, but it would be better than nothing. Her pears were long gone, and the few apples that were left were for Mikhaul. It was not like she could just send Mikhaul to Yavanna whenever she felt like it for more fruits. It would cause arguments between Yavanna and Nienna, and no one needed that, there would be no more fights between the two Ainu caused by her. Though Bombur was saving her a bowl of food, she felt guilty taking the rations of the Company, especially since Bombur continually insisted that she should take a larger portion than the others. Thankfully Kíli and Fíli were helpful enough to ensure the rest did not go to waste.

Her plan was to work through her need to use her magic and the desire to create and then have a bath. She searched through her pack and her kit was missing. Where could she have put it? It was here! Was it not? Did she take it out back at the camp when she set up her bedroll? She put it aside specifically to take with her, so why was it not here? Where was it? She sat back in disappointment then shook her head. She would have to find her kit and find another time to ease the need to create. Without her metal working kit, she couldn't forge, she couldn't finish the dagger, nor could she release the pent up energy and find clarification in her dreams. She needed to forge in order to cleanse the negativity from her mind.

Frustrated, Rylee finished setting up her camp, preparing her towel and her soap and she pulled out a small parchment envelope filled with a multitude of seeds. The soap was a gift from Yavanna, it was specially made just for Rylee. It never dried up, never became smaller, and made the user smell like their favorite scents. For Rylee, the soap smelled like Roses, Honeysuckle, and Lilacs. It was the last gift she ever received from Yavanna, just less than fifty years ago for her twenty-third birthday.

Rylee felt she was to blame for the order from Eru to sever all ties to the Valar. If she had listened and stayed home like she was told to, she never would have been injured, and the two Ainu would never have fought. When Rylee first came to Middle-Earth, she made a promise to herself that she would find a way to make it up to her mothers'. Each life Mikhaul would bring her an envelope filled with seeds from Yavanna's greenhouse, picked by Mahal. Every time Rylee took a bath she would plant a seed, not once did she miss the chance to dig her fingers into the soil, choose a seed and cover it so it would grow.

Every time she planted a seed she would whisper to it, "With the fertile energy of Yavanna, the tears of Nienna, and all the love in my heart, grow strong, grow healthy, and be blessed." As she did, she cried, shedding tears onto the small seed and patted the soil down on top. She didn't know if either Ainu knew of her apology to them, but it was the only way Rylee knew to make it up to them. Rylee always did love the feel of dirt under her fingernails and digging for worms.

After planting one of the seeds in the fertile soil by the river, and finding a couple of blood worms while she was at it, Rylee stripped off, took the main clip out of her hair, and jumped into the cold river water. She wore only her mithril crown, her rose necklace, and the ankle scabbards that secured her throwing knives. She never took them off when traveling, even in well-travelled parts like this, one could find trouble. One could never be too careful.

She swam for a bit, opening her eyes under the water, watching the fish. She grabbed her fishing hooks and the blood worms that she found earlier, plus a water beetle that just happened to be hovering too close. Within the hour, she had three large trout secured on a line a little further upstream. She jumped back into the cool rushing water, when she resurfaced she sighed in contentment, reaching for her soap bar. She scrubbed herself until her skin was nearly raw, and used the soap in her hair and on her scalp, then rinsed the suds and grime away. Finally feeling clean again she waded to the river bank and cleaned and scrubbed her clothes, leaving them to dry by the fire. She wrapped her bath sheet around her body and dried herself off.

She was about to pull out the fresh change of clothes that Mikhaul had in her pack when she heard a branch snap to her left. A man came out of the bush. He had a knife in his hand and was looking at her with a sickening leer. Everything about him screamed bandit.

"Hello girlie, what are you doing out here all by yourself?" He asked, looking at her in her long towel. She was completely covered, so he didn't see her reach for her throwing blades. She pulled her fingers slowly up the handles, hooking her fingers into the cut-outs that were forged into them. Three in each hand, she pulled them out then transferred them to one hand so she could concentrate on throwing if she had to. Keeping her movements to a minimum.

"Who says I am alone?" She asked cautiously, listening for other movements. Leaves ruffling to her right, something big, she would guess another human male. There was more noise off to the left, whoever these men were they were not exactly trying to conceal themselves.

"I can see that you are alone, and really such a pretty little morsel like yourself should not be traveling alone in the woods." The man stepped closer. She stood and stepped back.

"I would not come closer if I were you," Rylee warned, her voice hard and steely, "A woman does not travel alone unless she is capable of caring for herself."

"You are naked under that sheet, your weapons are stowed beside the fire," The man said with an arrogant smirk. He could see her axes and bow propped with her satchel; her coiled whip was hidden underneath. "You have no defense against me, and I have been without a woman for a long time. I will take what I want."

* * *

Camp was being prepped, Kíli and Fíli were out hunting, the fire was started, Bombur was preparing vegetables for the stew, Bilbo was helping him out. Bofur and Bifur were taking care of the ponies, Oin and Gloin were gathering wood for the night, Balin and Dwalin were digging a pit for a latrine further away from the camp. Things were going smoothly. Thorin looked around to see if there was anything more that needed to be done. Dori and Nori were sitting around the fire, resting up before they took first watch. Ori wandered into the camp from talking with Bofur and Bifur, "Bofur wants to know where Rylee is, Mikhaul is concerned, and she isn't back yet."

"Bloody hell! Didn't they just return? Back from what? She didn't say she was leaving," Thorin said looking around the camp, sure enough the lass was nowhere to be seen. She never said where she was going, just came and went without a word. Why would she just go off on her own? His heart nearly stopped dead as he considered all the things that could happen to a maid while out on the road. Her appearance at the end of each day left the entire company worried, showing up blood spattered and roughed up.

"I saw her set up her bedroll and grab her black satchel earlier," Bilbo offered looking up from cutting up the potatoes for Bombur. "She seemed to be in a hurry."

Bifur came into camp signing and grunting in Khuzdul that, "She left for 'Alone time' when we first arrived."

They made camp a couple hours before and the sun would be setting in less than a half hour. Fíli and Kíli both wandered in carrying a clutch of rabbits, skinned and ready for Bombur to cook up. "Kíli, Fíli have you seen Rylee?"

"Not since we left to hunt," Fíli said looking over at Kíli.

Kíli too shook his head, a frown marring his face, "she was unpacking Mikhaul when we left."

"Gandalf, have you seen Rylee?" Thorin asked the wizard as he wandered into camp and lit his ever-present pipe. This was becoming worrisome; none of the Dwarves had seen her since their arrival in camp.

"No, but knowing her, she will be back sooner than later," Gandalf said he was a little concerned, but Rylee was severely independent. Anytime he interfered with her concerns she was quick to put an end to it. The fiery girl made things interesting enough without his help. Already she had most of the Company's admiration and concern. "She is spending more time hunting than she ever has before. Something is up."

"If she is always hunting, why doesn't she ever bring back any game?" Bilbo asked the company, they all shared a confused look, they too wanted to know the answer to that.

"Did Mikhaul say which direction she went?" Thorin asked Bifur, ignoring Bilbo's question, the wounded man indicated that she went downstream from the camp. No one needed to know what Rylee was hunting, he shared a knowing look with Gandalf as they both agreed to silence on the matter.

"Kíli, go look for her, make sure she is back here before sunset," Thorin ordered his nephew. Kíli didn't argue he just picked up his recently discarded weapons and headed in the direction Mikhaul indicated.

"What the hell is wrong with her? She should not be wandering off." Thorin growled at Gandalf, he was the only one who really understood her, having spent time with her. "This might not be the wild lands, but they are not safe for a woman alone."

"She obviously does not see herself as part of the company, Thorin," Gandalf said knowingly, she invited herself on the quest, so she would not see herself as part of the group. "Regardless of the fact that she was once your student, she is a War Maiden. She is quite capable of caring for herself. She has a quest of her own and will conduct herself as she sees fit."

"Of course she is part of the company!" Dori exclaimed from beside the fire. "What would give her the impression that she were not?"

"It would explain why she always eats last," Bombur said softly with a worried look, "She waits for everyone else to eat. I have taken to saving her a bowl. She is too tiny."

"What do you mean she eats last? She provides half the fare!" Thorin was becoming surly.

"That's what I told her," Bofur said coming into camp. Mikhaul following close behind him, "She argued with me and said that the vegetables would go bad otherwise, there are too many for her alone."

Bifur grunted in Khuzdul and gestured to his cousin and Bofur shook his head with a grin, "No Bifur, I don't think that she was put off by teasing her about the spiders."

"Aye," Gloin said with a chuckle, as he thought of the fake wooden spiders that Bifur and Bofur fashioned and left for her to find upon waking. "She took that pretty well actually."

"Perhaps we should ask her to be part of the company." Oin said looking at Thorin thoughtfully, "It might make the lass more comfortable. Less guarded? Mahal knows she has been alone long enough, she needs to be taken care of."

"Do you think that's why she is so standoffish?" Nori asked with curiosity. "Or do you think it's because she was not allowed to have attachments with the Valar?"

Thorin looked oddly at Nori, his brow furrowed. "Rylee is allowed to have attachments to the Valar, they all love her dearly. Now that she is in Middle-Earth she has no reason to stay detached."

"But she said that she was allowed no attachments!" Nori argued, "She was quite adamant about it."

"That was once true, but now that she is in Middle-Earth she is allowed to create whatever attachments she wants," Thorin stopped and thought about it for a moment. "She just cannot communicate with the Valar unless it is through Mikhaul."

"So what do we do for her now?" Bilbo asked quietly, "There are fifteen of us surely she should not still feel so alone?"

"That's just it Bilbo," Fíli said looking over at the hobbit. "She has been keeping her distance from us for days, she doesn't ride with us, she sleeps on the outskirts of the camp, she eats last. She is trying to keep herself from becoming attached."

"Should I write up a contract for her?" Balin asked looking at Thorin for direction on the matter. Thorin shook his head in response. Rylee would only be insulted by a contract. She hated contracts in all forms.

"No brother, I don't think she needs a contract," Dwalin said from beside the fire, where he was sharpening his knives. "She already figures she is going to die."

"What makes you say that?" Ori asked with more than a little shock.

"She offered her services as a dragon slayer," Dwalin said looking at the scribe, "It goes without saying."

"It is a dangerous line of work," Fíli said thoughtfully, looking at his uncle, "She has already died thrice and would not want to make attachments if she expects to die again."

"That does sound like Rylee," Gandalf said looking at Fíli with a smile. "She has five people she calls friends left in Middle-Earth, besides me, all of whom she tried pushing away at one time or another."

"That's no way to live a life," Bofur said with a hard frown.

Thorin's eyes snapped up to the toymakers face. It was true, even he as a leader, a king, he had close friends, family. She had no one, for almost fifty years she pushed everyone out of her life. Gandalf said she had five friends, and they were obviously of Elvish descent or they too would be long dead. Thorin looked at the group gathered around the fire and asked, "I will ask her to join the company, but that will not keep her from staying detached. So what are you going to do about it?"

* * *

Kíli tracked her down the river. It took him a while before he could pick up anything that would indicate a clear trail. She was quite good at covering her tracks. He wondered what she was getting up to this time. For three days in a row, she disappeared from the group, her, and her great horse running off to do whatever it was they did together. Today they left just after breaking camp, running far ahead of the company and when they rejoined them it was right before they made camp for the night and they joined them from the rear. She was even grimier and blood covered than the previous days, and she smelled like some sort of mangy dog. He could not believe the stench that she carried when she rode up on Mikhaul that evening.

Her conduct bothered Kíli significantly. He was almost relieved when she left during the day because when she stayed with the group he couldn't concentrate on anything but her. Yet the moment he saw her disappear he wanted her to come back. He wanted her to be safe, and her escapades were likely going to lead to either grave injury or death. It was like she had a death wish. He could not stand the thought of her being hurt, in any way.

Every night she haunted his dreams and left him aching for her. He remembered her as she landed in his lap at the Hobbit Hole, and those few seconds her hands tangled in his hair. Fíli corralling her into his arms before the fire, Kíli just could not shake the memory of the feel of her body against his, and her hands on his shoulders. He wanted her back in his lap as he had her the first night on the road, he wanted her in his arms. She was driving him to distraction and he could not afford that.

Once Kíli picked up her trail it was easy to track her through the thick forest, she was following an old animal track that wove along the river. His guess was that she was looking for a private place to clean up. That thought both excited him and tormented him. What he found when he found her left him stunned and more than a little angry.

She was just below a small waterfall, where the narrow canyon below created a small deep pool of water, kneeling by a small fire wrapped in a large thin bath sheet. Other than a small mound covered in white, he could see only her head. Her long wet hair was contained under the sheet as well as her obviously naked body. She was looking up at a man who came out of the bushes to her left. He was making advances towards her.

He could detect movement under the sheet as she prepared to flee, her body stiffening. She spoke, her voice made the hairs on his arms rise. "I have warned you once, take another step and it will be your last."

The man laughed at her, "How exactly do you think you are going to stop me, weaponless as you are."

"Who said I was weaponless?" She countered darkly, she stood and dropped the towel, revealing the throwing knives in her hands, as well as everything else. Kíli blinked. The only thing covering her was her hair. The man launched himself at her, not giving her a chance to throw, but she tucked low and flipped the massive man over her shoulder. She turned on him with a snarl and slashed at him as he rolled up and came at her again. The knife sunk deep into his throat and cut through, blood sprayed over her and the man fell away.

There was a movement to the right, Kíli raised his bow and took aim as a second man emerged from the brush. His arrow hit the attacker's heart seconds after Rylee's knife was embedded in his throat, the man was already falling away. Kíli had a perfect view of her perfectly rounded bottom and her scarred back. His heart stopped as he noticed the three pale jagged scars that ran parallel in a diagonal from her right shoulder down to her left hip. From the look of them they were old wounds, long healed, but he wondered where she got them. What could have done such damage?

In his shock, he was late noticing the movement in the bushes to the left and Kíli watched as the knife Rylee had already prepared embedded itself into the third man's heart. She spun toward him, another knife at the ready. She met his eyes and pulled back just as she was about to release, the sharp knife slicing into her arm, yelping in pain. Her eyes grew wide and she spun away. "Kíli! What are you doing here? I could have killed you!"

"What are you doing, out here alone?" Kíli yelled back as he watched her walk to the edge of the water, she seemed completely unconcerned with her nudity. Kíli couldn't believe what he was seeing. Her skin was mottled in red welts and black and purple bruises. Her shoulders, legs, and arms were riddled with the evidence of recent battles.

"Taking a bloody bath! Not that it should matter to you!" Rylee raged as she turned to the water. She needed to clean the bandit's blood away. She needed to clean her wound. There was a snap of a stick behind her and she spun as two more bandits ran at her from the brush.

Kíli barely had time to draw another arrow before Rylee was captured in the filthy bandits' arms. One had her by the feet, the other had her arms pinned behind her back, her remaining blades dropped uselessly to the ground beneath her. Her blood dripped from the cut in her wrist onto the black metal on the ground as she struggled fiercely trying to free either her arms or her legs. Kíli aimed at the one holding her feet. Rylee kicked the man in the chest, pushing him back enough to give Kíli a clear target and he took the shot. The arrow penetrated the man's chest and he fell away. The other man moved to use Rylee as a shield as Kíli drew another arrow.

She was so small in the man's arms, he held her up against his grimy black coat, a leer on his dirty face, his yellowed broken teeth hovered just inches above Rylee's ear. Kíli wasn't sure what disturbed him more, the fact that the man was holding Rylee's naked body, or the fact that not once had Rylee screamed, protested or spoke. Rylee went perfectly still, she just freed one arm just enough to sign in Iglishmek that she was going to drop in three seconds. He counted it off and Rylee collapsed, pushing herself down her captor's body, suddenly leaving the man's torso open as a target, Kíli didn't hesitate. The dead man fell on top of Rylee and she grunted in pain.

"How do I cross?" Kíli asked in frustration. There was no answer and no movement from Rylee, "Rylee! How do I cross?"

"There is a trail over the waterfall," Rylee's muffled voice came as she shoved the body off of her. He found the path she was talking about and started to make the steep climb to the top. Rylee rose to her feet and walked to a massive boulder that hovered over the edge of the pool and dived into the deep water where it seemed the calmest.

Kíli was trying hard not to stare at her, but the image of her glorious body was imprinted on his mind. Other than the heavy bruising she was even more perfect than he imagined her to be. He had to avert his eyes to give her some privacy, but could not stop from taking glances at her as she came up in the center of the pool, treading water. "The entire company is worried about you!"

She stopped and looked up at him, "Why?"

"What do you mean, why?" Kíli shot her a glare. She was in the water, immersed right up to her neck, washing away the blood spray of the first man she killed. The blood from her wrist spilled down her pale flesh and tainted the water.

"Why would they worry? I can take care of myself," Rylee said, she sounded completely bewildered by his statement. "I am a War Maiden, not some housemaid."

Kíli turned around in anger and saw her swimming back to the bank, slowly rising out of the water. She was some sort of siren, her long dark hair clung to her body, revealing every curve. He could not stop staring, feeling his body respond quickly to the vision before him. He forced himself to turn away, desperate to find control.

"You were nearly attacked not five minutes ago." Kíli reminded her. He heard the water behind him as it poured off of her as she waded out. To distract himself, he pulled his arrows out of the last two men he killed, no point in wasting them if he didn't need to.

"Aye, and I would have taken care of it! I would have heard those last two if I weren't distracted by you!" Rylee hollered at him. He heard a ripping sound, from behind him. Glancing over his shoulder he saw her rip a strip off of her towel and wrap it around her forearm. She was still naked, but she had the towel partially wrapped around her damp form. He turned away, waiting for her to dress. When she spoke again, her voice was muffled. "Hey, can you cook fish? I caught a few while I was in there earlier. I have been keeping them on a string."

"You caught fish?" Her change in subject threw him off and Kíli turned to look at her. She was in a pair of black leather breaches and a thin chemise that clung to her womanly form, he could see a deep vee of cleavage and her arms were bare. A black rose sat on her chest, the gem glittering in the dying daylight. He watched as she stood over the second dead man pulling out his arrow and her knife, she moved to the next and pulled out her knife, and then she went to clean them. He couldn't seem to stop staring at her as she approached him with his arrow, he took it in one hand and grabbed her injured wrist with the other, checking the bandage. Satisfied that the wound wasn't still bleeding heavily, he released her wrist and dropped the arrow into its place in his quiver. He raised his other hand, touching the rose on her chest. "Beautiful."

"Thank you, Yavanna designed it and Mahal made it for me," Rylee said, reeling from the close contact, she reminded herself that she needed to keep a distance from Kíli. Thorin was right. She would get hurt by this handsome Dwarf Prince. She was feeling all sorts of crazy emotions for him. Every touch thrilled her, every shared glance made her blush and smile. She was drawn to him, inexplicably and she needed to find a way to stop it. "But it is broken. A jewel is missing from the heart of it."

She took a step back from him and he caught her hand, pulling her against him. Her breath caught at her sudden captivity in Kíli's arms. She looked up at him in surprise, his dark eyes burned with rage and his voice was low in anger, "How could you let them see you like that? You let them touch you! How could you make yourself so vulnerable?"

"What does it matter, Kíli? They are dead now." Rylee asked startled, she tried to pull away and heard him groan in protest as his strong arms encircled her. Her left arm was wedged under his arm and her right hand gripped his shoulder. Then she felt his hardness against her belly, she went stock still, her heart thundering in her chest. Thrill and fear combined as she tried to figure out this sudden change in him, "Kíli?"

"What are you doing to me, Rylee?" Kíli whispered in her ear, his lips brushing against the soft shell, his voice caused shivers to run over her body. His hands were on her back, on her sides, her bottom, pulling her against him. Her entire body felt suddenly enflamed by his touch. She freed her left arm and her hands curled around his shoulders, holding on in case her shaking knees collapsed like they were threatening to do. "Three days and you are haunting me. To see you do that, to expose yourself like that. Don't you do that ever again, please Rylee."

She was stunned into silence. Her heart was hammering in her chest, fire was burning through her core. It felt like magic, this pull to him, she gasped as he clutched her to him, and she felt his chest pressed against hers. She bit her lip to stop the moan that rose in her throat as heat coiled tighter and tighter with her. A small needy sound escaped her as he ran his hands over her bottom, pulling her closer against him.

"Please, Rylee, I-," Kíli said crushing her against him, she felt so good, he wanted her closer. She was biting her lip again and he fought against the desire to kiss her. What the hell was wrong with him? No woman ever made him feel so possessive, so needy of her attention. From that first night, she favored him. She was the only dwarrowdam he ever met who brushed off Fíli in favor for him. Holding her in his lap was all he could think about for the past few days, as he tried to devise ways to get her back in his arms again. Now he had her and he was at a loss as to what he wanted to do with her. He wanted to strangle her and hold her tighter for putting herself in such danger. "I don't want anyone else to see you like that. Promise me."

"Well, it's not like I planned it, Kíli," Rylee gasped trying to move away before she did something stupid. Like kiss him. But his arms were like a vice. She was pressed so tight against him that his lips brushed her ear, her lips brushed his throat. She could smell him, leather, tobacco, sunshine, and him. She loved the way he smelled, the way he felt, how he was holding her. She needed to clear her head! "I did what I had to, to save myself, Kíli."

"Promise me, Rylee," His voice was a commanding growl, it was a demand. He needed her to swear not to expose herself again. He could not stand the idea of sharing her with anyone. Mahal, the things he wanted to do to her, the ways he wanted to touch her. The idea of someone else touching her the way he wanted to drove him nearly out of his mind. How she felt in his embrace, the way she was responding to his touches, the way she shivered against him. She was delightful and he wanted her.

She arched back to look him in the eye. Still he refused to release her, her heart was racing wildly in her chest, she needed distance from him. When he touched her, all clear thought seemed to fade and she was struggling to keep her mind clear. She raised her hands and hesitantly put her hands on his face. Her fingers brushing softly against his skin, caressing fingertips felt his soft stubble. Mahal help her, she loved his beard shorn like that. He met her eyes in surprise, she knew it was a forbidden touch but he didn't protest. Face touching indicated familiarity, family ties or intimacy. It was an act of courting between couples in the First Age; did it still have the same intimacy in the Third Age? Did she want to court him? Stupid question. She wanted everything from him. Rylee fought her desire to kiss him. Instead she whispered, "I promise I will not expose myself to anyone else. Okay?"

He relaxed exponentially, but he did not release her, he enjoyed her touch and loved the way her body fit against his. Her hands on his face, she was so gentle, her fingertips caressing him as she was. If she was any other dwarrowdam he would have pushed her hands away, but he did not. Kíli was trying to rationalize what he was doing. This was not like him. She was just a dwarrowdam, like all the others he met in Ered Luin, no one special. It was one hell of a lie, but he would use it. On top of that Thorin would kill him for daring to touch her. Would he though? How many times had Kíli pulled Rylee into his arms, right in front of Thorin, and his uncle did not once protest? She was already claimed for courting! Damn it he hated that braid, he wanted it gone.

'Hell, she was just another member of the company,' he thought, but if he was honest with himself, he knew that she was more than that. He could not jeopardize the company because of his lust for a beautiful lady. Deciding on his reasoning he looked her in the eye, "I know I should not make demands like that from you, but I cannot help it. You are part of our Company, if something happened to you, I would never forgive myself. Get dressed and let's go."

He released her and walked away, turning back to the trail head to wait for her. She wrapped her arms around herself feeling suddenly bereft. The abrupt change left her temporarily stunned and she actually felt physical pain for a moment. It was agony. It confused her completely, until she realized that he was giving her the distance she wanted. She wasn't sure what was going on between them, but there was no way she was going to argue. He gave her a way out of having to explain why she had to keep her distance from him. She really did, every time he touched her or even looked at her she was ready to follow him, give herself to him. She wanted him to take her and make her his in every possible way. She wanted a life with him. To deny this would be a lie. He terrified her; he alone had the power to tear her to pieces. The realization shook her to her core. He was her One.

"I am not part of the Company, I am on my own quest. I have my own tasks, and my own problems to take care of," Rylee said as she pulled on her boots, hiding the knife sheaths at her ankles. She gathered her scattered weapons and put them away. He seemed impatient as she watched him from the corner of her eye, so she asked, "I take it you want to get back to camp quickly?"

"We are supposed to be back before sunset," Kíli said quietly, the sun was already burning a red trail across the horizon. She dressed quickly in the second set of clothes Mikhaul had for her. Black leather with red beading along the fur trim, Kíli watched as she wrapped her whip around her. The bright silver over the black was stunning. He wanted to take it off of her and lay her down on her towel. 'You cannot have her, she wears a courting braid!' Kíli screamed inside his mind and mentally kicked himself.

"I don't think we are going to make it," Rylee said softly. She started gathering her things. Her clothes were nearly dry, so she folded them and put them into her satchel. "We can either cook the fish here before I put out the fire or take them back to Bombur."

"What were you going to do with the fish? I thought you couldn't cook," Kíli said as she pulled out a line with three relatively large trout.

"Well, I have tried cooking fish in the past. They never turn out really well, but they are still somewhat edible," Rylee said sardonically, "at least, I didn't die from eating them."

"I think we should take them to Bombur then," Kíli chuckled, as he drenched her small fire. "You might as well enjoy the fish you caught rather than barely choke them down."

"Very funny, Kíli," Rylee rolled her eyes at him as they walked away from the little camp.

"You did choose a really nice spot to bathe," Kíli said as he looked down from the top of the waterfall. He was purposely trying to look anywhere but her. It was a peaceful spot, the water was clear, it was easily defensible and yet provided privacy.

"Until those curs showed up, at least," Rylee agreed. They were quiet as they started to walk back to camp.

"What are the bruises from?" Kíli asked her suddenly, he wanted to know what she was doing these past few days, to make her so battered.

"Oh! Um, hunting," Rylee said keeping her voice as neutral as she possibly could. A bright blush spread from head to toe as she realized that he had seen her completely naked, and not just for a few seconds, but long enough to realize that she was heavily bruised from her recent battles.

"That's a lie. Do not lie to me, Rylee. What the hell could you be hunting that would do that to you?" Kíli asked discarding her answer. He could not imagine what would do that to her body. "And what about the scars, where are they from?"

"Hunting, truly Kíli, they are from hunting," Rylee said softly, she did not want an argument. She was fully aware that her odd behavior was bothering the others. She was a dwarrowdam and the Dwarves were protective of their females. What she did was far outside the scope of normal female dwarf behavior. "I don't hunt game, I hunt enemies, and I am just doing my job. Can we just leave it at that?"

"The scars?" Kíli pressed, he said it gently. He heard how small her voice became when she spoke of it, but he needed to know.

"They are from my first hunt." She whispered sadly. Kíli looked over at her and noticed that she was looking down at the ground, scuffing her feet against the forest floor, pushing a clump of dirt along with her toe. The subject was obviously one she wanted to avoid, which only made him more curious. She was carrying her gear and weapons over her shoulder, her fish on their string dangling from her hand and her hair was a completely tangled mess.

"You didn't comb your hair, it is badly tangled," Kíli said looking at the long glossy waves, as they fell to frame her face. He was struck by how beautiful she was, he was usually attracted to Dwarrowdams with more facial hair, but her lack did nothing to lessen her beauty. Her thick dark silky waves more than made up for any lack and Kíli had to curb the urge to touch it again. Hair touching was an intimate act, and it was one he wanted to engage in again with Rylee, but with her consent. He recalled her hands on his face and his heart sped up at the thought, gentle, loving hands on his face as she made him a promise.

"Oh! I forgot. Can you take these?" She handed him the string of fish. Once he had them in hand, she pulled the clip out of her satchel, biting it between her teeth as she roughly combed her fingers through her thick hair. She separated each of the braids and he noticed that she lovingly touched all of the family and friendship braids for a moment before moving to the next one. Only the courting braid she left untouched. He wondered why. Why did she wear that double damned braid? With fingers deft and quick she soon had her hair back in place within the clip. He looked at the clip for a minute, admiring the black jewel within the bright red metal.

"Is that Onyx or Hematite?" Kíli asked looking at the black stone that was embedded in the shining red metal.

"Black Diamond," Rylee said softly, "it is my favorite stone. I have several clips made out of it and red mithril."

"Red mithril? You said something about that before, but there is no such thing," Kíli scoffed rolling his eyes at her.

"Are you certain about that? This clip shines brighter than any other red metal, is that not a property of mithril?" Rylee laughed, shaking her head. Even in the pale moonlight the red metal looked like it was afire. "Maybe someday I will show you how it is made."

"How is it made?" Kíli asked, his curiosity getting to him after a few minutes of silence.

"Well, with blood and fire and magic, of course," Rylee said as they walked through the woods towards camp. She chuckled softly at the odd look that crossed Kíli's face as he tried to comprehend what she was talking about.

"Blood magic is evil," Kíli said, glowering at her, still trying to figure her out. As a daughter of the Valar, it was expected that she would have differences from a normal dwarrowdam, but blood magic? That was a surprise. Perhaps that was why he felt this incessant need to keep her protected, the odd desire to claim her as his own. Maybe she was some sort of witch.

"Are you certain of that, Kíli?" Rylee asked him as a reminder. "All dwarves use magic while in the throes of creation. My magic is different than theirs but no less beautiful."

"Aye we use magic, but it is pure and of a light nature, as is that of wizards and elves," Kíli growled at her. He was certain that he was under some sort of spell or enchantment. It was the only reason he could think of, for why she affected him like she did. Mahal he wanted to take her. Make her his. "Any other magic is black magic, evil and vile. Blood magic is the worst kind."

"It is not evil, you just don't understand it. Mahal and Eru use blood magic and neither of them are evil." Rylee shot him a stunned glare, then she went on to clarify, "I was made by them to help fight dragons after all. I am both Dwarf and Elf, remember, and both races use magic. Can I help that my magic is in my very blood, in my essence and in my soul?"

"So you are some sort of a hybrid and you use dark magic? Are you dark like Sauron?" Kíli hissed at her sharply, he didn't like the idea of her being anything but Dwarf. Her entire body went rigid, as though he physically hit her and he realized that this was not the first time she heard those words. He watched as fresh pain flashed across her face, marring her beauty, before she pushed it away. He regretted them immediately but didn't have a chance to take them back.

"Take that back!" Rylee stopped short and glared at Kíli as he kept walking. He did not just compare her to Morgoth's second in command! He once worked under Aulë, and after centuries of sneaking around he betrayed Aulë, he betrayed all of the Valar. He was cruel and conniving. He chased her through Middle-Earth for years. She would never fall like him! Never!

"Why should I?" He glared at her, "You must be some sort of witch or enchantress! Nothing else makes sense."

"I may be a hybrid, Kíli, but I am nothing like Sauron the Deceiver! I care not how tainted my soul becomes; I will fight darkness until my last breath." Rylee said, her voice darkened with power, and her grey eyes sparked with light, Kíli felt the hair on his arms begin to rise. It was the same power as he felt at the Hobbit's house, he thought. She all but growled at him, "I am not some lesser being than you. I am Rylee Emitheral, daughter of Aulë, Rúnyatári. I will be treated with respect. Do you understand me?"

"Are you looking for an argument, lass?" Kíli still clutching her string of fish in his hands. He was so mad at her. For giving her attention to Fíli when they were sparring, for exposing herself to those bandits, for the way he was feeling, for the need to hold her, for the courting braid in her hair. For exposing herself to him! He would never be able to forget her perfect body or the scars that marred the soft flesh of her pale back.

"Mahal, Father, help me find the words," Rylee sent a prayer to her father. She felt utterly betrayed by Kíli, he was her One and he was treating her like she was a monster! She felt pain, physical pain in her chest. "I am as I will always be, Kíli, you may accept me as I am or not accept me at all. Regardless, you will respect me as I respect you. If you want something of me, ask for it, or not. But do not dare treat me with disrespect that I do not deserve!"

She stalked away from him as they entered the camp a few seconds later. The entire company was stunned into silence as they heard her last words. They looked between the pair; Kíli's face was undisguised rage while Rylee's was a mask of granite. Her odd eyes were flashing brightly, in anger, and in pain.


	7. Blood Magic

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either. I own only my OC's.**

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Chapter 7

Blood Magic

May 2

"Rylee caught fish for supper," Kíli said holding up the three large trout, he kept his tone light, trying to break the tension among the group. He completely ignored Rylee's enraged glare as she moved quickly away from him towards her bedroll.

"What beauties they are!" Bombur said rubbing his hands together, he too tried to keep the mood light. Though everyone wanted to know what was going on, they didn't want to outright intrude, "I will get those cooked up in a jiffy."

Kíli handed the fish to Bombur and sat near the fire beside Fíli. Within seconds, he was back on his feet and pacing in the shadows of the campfire. Too angry and confused to sit down, too frustrated to do anything but rehash what just happened in his mind.

Oin looked at Rylee with a bit of surprise. "I didn't know you liked to fish, what did you use for bait?"

"The two smaller ones I used blood worms, and the big one I caught with a water beetle," Rylee said trying her damnedest not to show any of her inner turmoil. She ignored Kíli's pacing and continued speaking as though nothing was wrong. "Oh Bombur, I will need those hooks back, so don't cut them, please?"

"Of course not lass," Bombur said as he set about cleaning the fish.

"So, blood worms and a water beetle, but you are afraid of spiders," Gloin looked at her with a disbelieving glare as per usual.

"You would be too if you ever met Ungoliant," Rylee shivered at the memory of her single encounter with the massive arachnid. "That was a meeting I will never forget and will keep me terrified of spiders as long as I live."

"I didn't know you met Ungoliant," Gandalf said, looking up at her in surprise. Thorin's eyes also snapped up to meet hers upon hearing that she went up against the Dark Spider. It made a chill run down his spine.

The moment she said it she regretted speaking out loud, she spoke without thinking. She was too distracted to even guard her own mouth! It was like everyone was instantly alert, the moment Rylee said anything about her past, everyone tuned in to listen to her. Now they would want the story and she was not prepared to tell them the whole thing. She sighed knowing that there was no way that she would be able to back out of it now.

"It's not much of a story. It was during my first quest, Gandalf. After you escorted me to Jovina's home and returned to Aman. Turin and I were searching for a path to get closer to Glaurung, I was scouting ahead. I was unfortunate enough to get caught up in one of Ungoliant's webs of darkness. Typically I would see through such a glamour, but it was a moonless night, I could barely see through the darkness as it was. She was quick to pounce since most of the beasts in the area were savvy enough to know where the dangers lie. Without those types of instinctual traits, I had no idea she was there in the darkness. She was so much bigger than I ever imagined, even in my worst nightmares. Nothing could have prepared me for her." Rylee whispered softly, her voice rough with the remembered fear. The power in her voice was in every inflection as she related her tale.

"Her beady red eyes glowed from within the perpetual darkness that surrounded. I could hear her voice out loud, but also whispering into my mind. She told me to give her all of my light, that she would devour all of the light and love in my soul. All I knew was I had to get out of there and fast. I already had my axes in hand, when she arrived, so when she started to pull me into her web, dragging me deeper into darkness, I kept cutting lose." Rylee said, clutching her arms around her, shivering violently at the memory.

"How did you escape?" Ori asked his quill flying across his page as he took everything in, his eyes wide with wonder.

Rylee looked at the scribe for a moment. Not yet ready to trust anyone with the absolute darkness of Ungoliant and the beginning of a new terror. Not willing to admit that the venom that remained was eating at her soul, or that she could sense the darkness that followed them because of that venom. It was a gift and a curse. Rylee purposely skipped to the end of the story,

"I used a rune spell," Rylee said shrugging it off, and looked across the camp to where Gandalf sat. "I asked for light, and the glyphs on my Armor and weapons lit up like fireworks. The light stunned Ungoliant for a mere moment, but that was all I needed, I hacked off one of her fangs and ran. I did not waste a moment running out of that one's web. It was a very narrow escape and I have not been able to look at a spider the same since."

Thorin looked at her, watching her face, the mask was up but there was something there for a moment, when she shrugged. She was hiding something. Something she didn't feel comfortable sharing. It was confirmed in the uncontrolled shivers and the completely defensive stance she was taking. That shrug and that stance were always a giveaway for when she was being flippant or understating a tale that she was telling. He would ask her another time, when there were not so many eyes and ears.

"I read that Ungoliant devoured herself at the end of the First Age," Ori asked with his usual bright curiosity as he looked up at Rylee expectantly. "Do you think it possible, Rylee?"

"She may have, I do not know what became of her. All I know is that she was very much alive when I escaped her nest." Rylee said as she shivered in the darkness of the camp. 'I still hear her, in my nightmares and in moments of weakness,' she thought to herself pursing her lips and crossing her arms protectively across her chest. It was possible that she devoured herself, but if she did then who was the one in the shadows? The only monster that made sense was Sauron, but that was not possible was it? Both of them terrified her. Then she said to Gandalf, "I have my doubts that the spider is truly dead. If anything she has finally succeeded in becoming one with the darkness she created."

"Can you show us?" Ori asked, ever curious.

"Show you what?" Rylee asked warily, looking at the scribe.

"Your magic, the spell you used to beat back Ungoliant," Ori insisted, his eyes wide and hopeful.

She looked into the flame, taking a single step towards it and watched as the flames rose several inches, as though to greet her. Rylee wanted to touch it to allow the fire to wash over her, but she stopped and watched the flames flicker and dance in the darkness. Rylee was tempted to grab her kit and show them her magic when Thorin stepped up beside her and said, "Nay, magic and spells should only be used in moments of great need. It takes great energy to wield such power. It should never be abused."

She turned to look at him, 'when had he become so knowledgeable about magic? Or was it because he didn't want her sharing her magic with the others?' She narrowed her gaze at him and he returned the look. 'Sure enough, he didn't want the others to know.' She could feel the defiance rising in her. What was it about Thorin that made her want to defy every order, and scream at him? She turned away from him trying to rein in her bubbling emotions. Kíli brought them to the surface. The fear, rage, frustration, even lust, passion, and love, it was making her insane. Thorin was riding on the coat-tails of a flash flame.

"Where have you been Mahalul?" He asked her quietly, following her to her bedroll where she began rifling through her belongings, searching for something in the darkness. She stopped as she reached for something under her pillow.

"For a bath obviously," She said scathingly, shooting a glare at him, "Can't bloody well stay in camp smelling like a werewolf, now can I? The scent alone will lure every vile creature within ten leagues."

"Werewolf," Thorin looked at her in shock. Rage hit him furiously, a vein in his temple started to tick and his heart was hammering in his chest as he tried to control his anger. His voice rose as his ire grew, "You were hunting a werewolf?"

"That's what I just said," She snapped at him. After her argument with Kíli, the last thing she needed was one with Thorin, but her rage was beyond her control when she lowered her voice and bit out, "You hard of hearing Ugshar?"

The entire camp went silent, no one moved, no one breathed. The tension grew tenfold within ten seconds.

"What did you just say?" Thorin growled at her, his voice, his stance, everything about him was menacing as he tried to control his anger at his young charge.

"Huh! So, you have gone deaf," Rylee said unflinchingly, her hands clenched in rage at her sides, her entire body was poised for a fight. She repeated herself loudly, being purposely obnoxious, "I said I was hunting a werewolf! Yesterday it was a pair of Orcs riding on Wargs, the day before it was another blasted Warg. Who knows what will be after me tomorrow? You want to know why I hunt them, Thorin?"

No one spoke, no one moved. Thorin had to hold himself back from backhanding her like he itched to. She was a dwarrowdam, regardless of the fact that she was a War Maiden, a dwarf did not hit a dwarrowdam. Ever. He met her flashing gaze, her stone mask was long gone. All that was left was anger, rage and hate, all of it directed squarely at him. He grimaced and clenched his own fists for a long moment before purposely loosening his stance and putting his hands behind his back. Then he smirked at her and sneered, "Enlighten us, Rylee. Why do you hunt them?"

"Because they are drawn to me, because they want me to join them in darkness, because other than a small spark of light, I am dark. My light was destroyed long ago," She said coldly, darkly, her voice was low, but it carried over the camp and the electric power within it made everyone shiver. She pulled off her coat, heavy tunic, and her mithril corselet, glaring directly at Kíli as she continued, "And the only thing that keeps me from giving in is magic. Magic borne of my blood, my fire, and my soul. Now if you don't mind, I am going to cleanse my spirit from the taint of that darkness."

Rylee bent down picked up her kit from underneath her pillow and turned to the fire. Thorin tried to stop her, but she shrugged him off, pushed bodily past him and continued on. Her need to work her magic was now so far beyond her control, she could not have stopped herself if she had tried. Rylee dropped to her knees before the fire and rolled her kit out on her lap. She took a shaky breath and put her hand into the fire and picked up a coal. Flames shot high into the night sky, the entire company gasped in horror. Thorin reached for her in fear.

Rylee was inside of herself and inside of the thrall of her fire, controlling the flame in her hand as she sang the song that wound through her heart. It was not a song of words. It was more like humming and chanting, deep and guttural. The song was ancient and it was formed out of feeling and deep emotions, it was a way of releasing the negative and reclaiming the positive and imbuing an artifact with the energy to be great and powerful. When she did this the world dropped away, it was just her, the metal, and the fire. Nothing else existed for her. Nothing else mattered.

"Don't touch her!" Gandalf hollered as Thorin and Kíli made to stop her, "She is in a thrall, nothing you say or do will reach her."

"How do you know this?" Thorin asked as he watched in horror as Rylee pulled her hand out holding a singular small ember and started to sing. He stood just to her right, and knelt beside her, wanting nothing more than to pull her away from what he saw was danger.

"I have seen blood magic performed before," Gandalf said quietly, motioning for the others to gather to watch. "Most people believe that all blood magic is dark, but in its truest essence blood magic is not impure. It is the kind found in the basest foundation of a being. It is the most natural form of magic and can be the most spiritual as well."

"How can you tell that hers is not dark magic?" Kíli snapped the question, his voice was hostile and angry, but there was anguish and worry as well. He too was at her side, kneeling beside her to her left, tempering the desire to caress her cheek as she chanted in the strange tongue.

"Listen to her," Gandalf whispered as he watched, "don't you hear it? Can you not feel it?"

Rylee knew that the others around her could hear and feel the emotions behind what she was doing, even if they would never be able to put it into words. She could not see or hear or even feel them as she focused intently on the fire and the task at hand. The bright coal in her hand began to cool a bit until she began to chant to it, then it brightened and turned white hot. She watched as the coal turned to ash and drifted away leaving a bright bulb of heat sitting in the center of her palm. She placed the dagger on top and sang and chanted to the metal filling it with heat and emotion until it was malleable.

Kíli watched in awe as she held fire in her bare hands, hotter than any flame he saw in any forge he ever worked. Her gray eyes were bright with electricity sparking and flashing within their depths and the humming grunts that came from her throat seemed strange and unnatural, and yet he understood everything that she was saying. Her face was bright with passion, her cheeks flushed, her lips parted, her breath coming and going in small pants. He thought her beautiful before, but like this she was enthralling. Desire swelled in him as he watched her, he wondered what it would be like to kiss her, and he wondered if he could make her face light with a different kind of passion. He tried to remind himself that he was angry with her, but he could not, he was angrier with himself.

Bilbo could not take his eyes off of Rylee, her movements were sure as she worked with the metal. He had never seen magic before and what she was doing was beyond the scope of anything he had ever witnessed before. Not that he knew anything about forging metal. He did know that she should not be able to do this without a forge and the proper tools. It would take a lot to get a campfire to the right temperatures, and even more to maintain it at the right temperatures. He once heard that a Dwarf could withstand extreme temperatures allowing them to spend hours in great forges, which were bigger than the Shire itself. Considering the awe on Thorin's face and that on the rest of the Company's, Bilbo was certain that while it might be true, holding bare molten metal in one's bare hand was unheard of.

The blade on her hand was superheated and Bilbo could tell that it was quite soft. She somehow lowered the temperature just enough that the shape was retained and yet the metal was workable. He watched carefully as she picked up a fine etching blade and began to cut runes and glyphs into the metal, from tip to handle she wrote on the metal. Some of the glyphs seemed to embed themselves into the metal, then they filled themselves in and she started all over again. Again and again she etched the metal with her blade, and again and again the metal absorbed the glyphs. She turned the blade over and did the same on the other side.

The chanting changed and the runes lit up from within, brighter and brighter, white light shone from inside the metal. She continued to sing her inner song, putting every part of her heart into it. For the first time in ages, she released her hidden hopes and dreams into the somber inflections and the soaring arias of her inner music. It was then Rylee started to cry, her tears flowed freely from her eyes, her song changed to heartbreak, sorrow, grief. Each salty drop was captured by the flame in her hand, but instead of sizzling and evaporating away, the moisture was collected and began to coat the bright silver metal. Rylee didn't understand why she was crying or why her tears were being collected, but it felt right and it soothed her soul.

Fíli could feel the emotions of each glyph as it lit up, fear, sorrow, pain, grief, hate, rage, love, passion, lust, happiness and joy, elation and gentleness. Every negative emotion was outweighed with an opposite, they each ebbed and flowed into and out of the song and into the blade. Finally one word rose to the surface on either side of the blade, 'hush'. The rest faded into the metal, but that one word shone, then it started to bleed. The blood mixed with the tears that she cried and the blood turned a deep royal blue. Fíli could feel the fire emanating from her, and yet he was not overly warm, it was like she was contained in her own little bubble. He wondered at the immense control it must take for her to do this kind of magic, considering the science it took to work metal in a proper forge. Fíli could only imagine that she must have some feel for the metal, as she held it in her hands.

Ori stood behind Kíli so he could better see what was happening, trying to be silent, so as not to draw attention from Thorin or others. The blade and tang brightened and turned white, and then they too began to bleed. The blue blood collected on the cutting edge and in the runes. Then with a few changes in her note and tone the heat rose and the blood moved down from the runes and the blade and collected on the metal where the handle would be, it was absorbed back into the metal. Dori drew Ori back, his eyes wide with worry for his younger brother, not wanting him to get too close to Rylee or her fire. For fear that Ori might burn himself.

She was not afraid of fire, she was made of fire. A shiver ran down Dwalin's spine as Rylee suddenly changed the tone and chant and suddenly the heat was gone, the heat doused and a deep, sudden cold set in around the knife. She quenched the knife in cold and slowly started raising the temperature. She tempered the blade, hardening and softening and then hardening it again. He could not believe what he was seeing, the slight girl before him was working the metal in her hand like he would work metal at the forge. What would take him hours to complete was taking her mere minutes and her precision while she worked was exquisite. Finally, her words fell away and her strange song lowered into a quiet hum, in her hands she held her blade leaving the blunt end exposed.

From her roll of tools, she picked up a finely carved black bone handle. It was already fitted with a guard and pommel. Rylee slid the thin metal hank into the handle and started whispering quietly. Again runes lit, but this time from within the bone and the blue colored blood emerged once more, decorating the entire piece in shining blue gore. It felt like the weapon itself was pulsing with life. Kíli noticed that it was her hands that were creating the pulse, they were working the blood into the bone and into the metal, as though she was sealing the fibers together. She worked it and whispered to it until all the shining blue was gone and all that was left was a silver dagger with a blue blade and rune marks and a perfectly attached black bone handle. The weld looked perfectly seamless.

Thorin watched as her eyes rolled back into her head and her head fell forward, but she remained upright. Her breath was rushing through her body in deep gasps, a fine sweat shone over her form. He could feel her shaking beside him, shivering as though cold. Finally, the humming ended and the small girl lifted her head. Rylee pulled out her oil and a cloth and worked the blade, checking it for any imperfections. She moved the knife in her hands, she moved it in a sequence of sorts, testing for balance and weight and feel. When she was satisfied, the weapon shone brightly in the light of the fire. She held it up and turned to Kíli. Her voice was a mere whisper as she said, "A gift to you from Mahal."

Her magic was terrifying, awe-inspiring, and beautiful all at once. It was unlike any magic he ever before witnessed, it was unlike Gandalf's and unlike any dwarves, it was one borne of fire and blood. Kíli was both eager and reluctant to touch this blade made with blood magic. He reached out to touch it, and hesitated, meeting her eyes. There was no emotion on her face, not even in her eyes as she nodded at him to take it. As he did the Runes on both blade and handle lit as it was claimed by its owner. The company gasped as they watched, as the light grew as he held it and then faded into the darkness of the night. Kíli tested the blade in his hands and found no flaws. It was perfect in every way.

Bilbo met Gandalf's eyes and after a moment he sat back on his bedroll, trying to make sense of what he just witnessed. It seemed to him that her power was not of this world and he wondered if, in the wrong hands, it could be evil. Rylee said herself that it offered her a sense of purification. Purification was a good thing.

Rylee silently packed her kit and stood, Kíli watched her as she damn near shook from the effort, her eyes kept closing as though she was fighting sleep. She wiped her hand over her face to clear away the exhaustion and turned to where Mikhaul was resting and put the kit into her pack and climbed into her bedroll. Her hands touched the handles of her axes and passed out as her head touched her pillow. Within seconds of laying down she was asleep. She didn't even bother to cover herself.

The company stared at her in disbelief, awe, fear, and wonder. She was truly Mahal's Daughter, a Child of Aulë.

"That would explain why she can't cook," Fíli said looking at the girl passed out on her bedroll.

"Aye, considering she can melt metal in her hands," Kíli nodded thoughtfully.

"You noticed that she started with an ember?" Fíli asked his brother and his uncle.

"I wonder if she can start a fire, without an ember, that would take great power," Gandalf said from his bedroll. "She is, apparently, impervious to flame."

Thorin's frustration ebbed away as he looked upon her sleeping form and his parental instinct took hold as he saw her shiver in the cool night. She was wearing only her thin tunic, her other gear was folded at the foot of her bedroll, offering her no protection from the cold. He stood and went to her side bending to pull the covers around her, like he once did for his nephews, tucking her into her bed. He went back to the fire and set the watch rotation, Fíli and Kíli would have first watch, and then Dori and Gloin, followed by Bofur and Ori, he and Dwalin would have last.

"Keep an eye on her, what you saw tonight does not leave this company," Thorin told everyone who was gathered near. Thorin looked back at Rylee, then at the rest of the company. They needed to be careful, very careful. A dwarf who could use this level of magic was more than rare, it was impossible. Ori's curiosity set the thoughts in motion. If anyone outside the company found out what she could do, they might try to use her. Force her to make weapons for them against her will. He heard the song. Her craft was about finding the perfect balance for the weapon, if someone or something threw her off kilter and she truly lost that spark of light, she could create weapons of grave destruction.

"Be careful, Thorin," Gandalf said quietly from the darkness of his bedroll. "If you truly want to protect her from the evils of the world you will need to allow her to become free of the shackles that bind her, not create more to contain her. Help her embrace her future."

Thorin shot the wizard a dark glare, how the hell did he know what he was thinking?

He recalled the words that she said to Kíli as they came into camp, and the barely concealed pain that was in her voice when she spoke to Bombur and Oin. Then he looked at Kíli, who was looking between Rylee and the knife still laying on his open palm in complete confusion. Something happened between them and he wanted to know what. Thorin stalked toward Kíli, grabbed his arm and hauled him away from the group. "What the hell happened?"

"She told me about her blood magic," Kíli said softly, he hedged, not wanting to admit all the things he said. She was sleeping. It was not like she was telling anyone. Looking up at his uncle and then back at the small dwarrowdam who passed out in her bedroll, her fiery hair spilling around her in thick glossy waves, he felt guilt wash over him. "We have been taught all of our lives that it is the vilest kind of magic! That it is dark and impure. I had no idea-"

"She is not a dwarf Kíli, she is the Daughter of Mahal! She was created by the Valar, born in a forge! Did you not think that she would have some sort of magic? If they thought the magic evil, do you think they would have taught her to wield it?" Thorin scolded him darkly. The Valar told Thorin years ago that there would be things that made her more than a Dwarf, magic being only one of them. Thorin accepted that when he accepted her.

"How long have you known about her magic, Uncle?" Kíli asked, certainly his uncle had plenty of time to get over the shock of such a thing.

"Since she was twenty-three," Thorin put his hand on his nephew's shoulder. Any kind of magic that used blood as a catalyst was misunderstood, and usually considered evil. He worried Rylee's latest act of defiance might cost her more than she bargained for, that the company would fear her and shun her now that they knew of her magic. He was aware that there were some among them that were quite superstitious. "Does it really matter? So she can use blood magic. Now that you have seen it, does that make her a lesser dwarf or something much greater, stronger, and more precious? You had better figure out how you feel about her and what she is. I will not have you hurting her."

The rest of the company finished eating and packed everything away for the next morning. Bombur set aside a covered dish for Rylee and a small pot of water for when she woke. The tone amongst the camp was somber and a little tense, everyone reflecting on what they witnessed. It was not long before everyone settled into their bedrolls for the night. Fíli and Kíli scouted the site watching for danger before they returned to their post. They chose a place close to camp that would allow them a good view of both the camp itself and the surrounding area, then they sat back to back so they could look out.

"May I see the blade?" Fíli asked holding out his hand expectantly for the dagger his brother got from Rylee. Kíli placed it in his palm and Fíli tested it out. A small sliver of envy passed through him as he got a feel for the blade. It truly was a beautifully made knife. When she originally told them that she made her own weapons, he thought that she was bragging and taking undue credit. After seeing her work, he could not help but admire her talent. "No weld marks, the clarity in the blade, the sharpness of the metal, it is perfect. You think she would make me one?"

"If you asked her," Kíli said shrugging nonchalantly, as he took the knife back from his brother. He looked over at Rylee in her bedroll, even in her sleep tears still fell from her closed eyes. Her hands gripped tight around her axes. After watching her sleep for three nights in a row he knew her sleep routine, it was always restless and dream-filled, but she did not cry. He knew that this was his doing. He didn't really know what happened. One minute they were fine and the next he snapped at her. It was obvious that she was different than everyone else he ever met, so what was it that made him turn on her like that?

He wasn't even sure he was angry about the magic, he felt guilty for what he said. Comparing her to the Lord of the Rings, that was low, and her vow against the darkness, if her magic was so dark would she actually make such a promise? She said she hunted enemies, she hollered at Thorin that she was hunting the most vile beasts, some he had never faced before, and never wanted to. Werewolves, they would certainly be big enough to leave marks on her body, even through layered armor. How could she put herself in danger like that? She could be killed! He wanted to both shake her and crush her against him and never let her go!

"I said the most horrible things Fíli," Kíli said watching his Mithril Queen cry in her sleep. He never meant to make her cry. He just didn't understand why she made him so possessive and aggressive and protective. "I called her a Hybrid. I said she was as dark as Sauron."

Kíli couldn't believe he said that to her. The way he said it to her, like she was beneath him, when actually he saw her above everything. In his eyes, she was perfection in every possible way. He wanted to be worthy of her affection, he wanted her to be his, and instead he pushed her away as hard and fast as he could. Was it because he wanted to knock her down to his level? His mother would be ashamed of what he did, what he said. What was wrong with him?

"Why would you say such a thing?" Fíli looked at his brother with complete shock. Just as he and Thorin talked about, Kíli said something insensitive, but instead of brushing it off like he normally would, Kíli was actually upset about it. "There must be some reason you would say something like that? What happened? What did you do?"

"I saw her naked, then she was attacked by bandits. I don't think I have ever been so angry with someone in my life. She should never have let them see her like that," Kíli whispered hoarsely as he tried to explain what possessed him to be so callous. "They laid hands on her, Fíli, I just- I just couldn't stand it!"

"That doesn't explain why you would say such things, Kíli" Fíli looked at his brother oddly. Kíli was ranting, and he wasn't one to rant, he only did that when he was really upset. Kíli started over and told him everything from the beginning to the end. By the end of his tale, Fíli looked at him stunned. "So you called her a Hybrid because she wears another man's braid, and as dark as Sauron because she does blood magic?"

"Mahal, I am such an Idiot! That was the most enchanting thing I have ever seen in all my life, and I belittled her for her ability," Kíli groaned dropping his head into his hands, he sounded like a complete loon. A jealous, bigoted, lustful, possessive crazy person! What was she doing to him? "What if she leaves us, Fíli? What if I pushed her away? She can't leave us. I won't let her leave me."

"She won't leave us, Kíli." Fíli turned in his seat to look at his brother, concern flashed in him at Kíli's possessive statement. Did he even hear himself? Fíli was certain that there was no way Rylee would leave Kíli. According to Thorin, Kíli was her One. "What are you going to do about it?"

"I suppose I need to make it up to her, but how?" Kíli hated that he had insulted her in the first place, or that he watched tears fall from her lashes as she worked her magic. He hurt her with his words and it was unforgivable. Kíli looked back at the sleeping girl. "I know nothing about her."

"You might want to start with an apology." Fíli chuckled softly, "then get to know her."

A couple hours later Kíli finally climbed into his bedroll at shift change and he tried to sleep, instead of his eyes closing though, he was wide awake. He stared across the camp towards Rylee and watched her eyes begin to move rapidly, her breathing began to become erratic and heavy, as though she was trying to escape something within her dream. Her hands twitched and tightened on her axes before she released them and she started to toss and turn. Her feet kicked out of the blankets, and her legs swung wildly until she was lying flat on her back. She groaned in her sleep, then she whimpered softly and whispered, "No, no, no. Please No! Kaia!" Her eyes popped open and she sat straight up.

It was becoming a familiar sight, three nights in a row he watched her wake from some horrible dream. Some nights she would be able to return to sleep, and others she would bury her head in her hands and after several minutes she would rise and send one of the watchmen back to their bedrolls. He watched her sit in silence for a long while, her head in her hands, as she wept over her friend. She said something about this girl at Bilbo's place, something about her disappearing in a battle.

"You alright, lass?" Gloin asked from beside the fire, his voice was concerned. Kíli blinked at him in surprise, Gloin was always suspicious of Rylee. The only person he ever shared that tone with was Gimli, his son.

"Just a nightmare, Gloin," Rylee whispered back, "I am sorry if I disturbed you."

"No harm done, child, go back to sleep," Gloin told her softly.

"He's right Rylee, there is plenty of night left to get some shut-eye," Dori said from beside him. His face was pulled into a frown. Rylee looked up at the sky and looked over at Dori and Gloin, who were on watch. Then she lay back down and resumed her grip on her axes. "Um, Miss Rylee?"

"Yes, Dori?" Rylee whispered softly.

"What's Mahal like?" Dori asked suddenly.

"He is strong, and smart, like Thorin, but quiet like Dwalin, and he has a sense of humor like Fíli and Kíli." Rylee smiled up at the sky, "He is warm and loving, creative and inspiring. He is patient. He would have to be, to put up with me. I miss him."

"Thorin says you can have attachments to the Valar now that you are here," Dori told her softly.

"I know," She whispered softly, "I am trying to make amends, I just don't know if they would even accept my apology."

"Why would you need to apologize?" Gloin asked through the darkness.

"Because I am the one who caused the problem," Rylee sighed her voice was glum and dark. She closed her eyes and Kíli watched as she settled herself back to sleep.

Kíli looked over at Dori and Gloin as they watched Rylee, there was concern there. Genuine concern. Dori was the most superstitious dwarf Kíli ever met, and yet he accepted Rylee's magic. Like there was nothing remotely unnatural or different about it. Gloin too, he was constantly questioning her motives and suddenly he was concerned for her welfare? It was like her display of magic had unlocked some sort of communication line. Like they suddenly understood that she was not lying or deceiving them. Frowning, Kíli thought about it for a moment, she kept telling them who and what she was, and yet no one truly believed her. Tonight she offered them undeniable proof. She gave them a part of herself. Kíli took out the knife and studied it for a long time. He would talk to her, he vowed to himself. At first light, he would talk to her and he would apologize for the horrible things he said.

Rylee tossed and turned. Everything was wrong! She could not sleep, feeling all of the horrid emotions that Kíli's accusations brought up. Her mind whirled, tumbling over the words he said. Enchantress and witch, those words didn't bother her as much as the other. Hybrid. Why did that word hurt more than any other that she heard? It was a truthful word, but it held all the contempt of the world. The same old prejudices, she would never fit with any of the people that the Valar made her for. She was different from every being she ever met, some hated her for her differences, some feared her and others wanted to own her for them. Morgoth had Sauron hunting for her through the First Age, wanting to lure her into darkness, but neither ever confronted her directly. She knew the seduction of darkness better than any other being.

She didn't know when she finally fell back asleep, but her dreams were more tormented than ever before. Not only did she see the battles of the past and the future, in front of the great fiery eye, but she also felt her connections to those around her being torn apart. She was on a battlefield, there were Orcs, Wargs, Trolls, and great bats coming at was in the midst of the company, standing by Thorin's side as they went to war. All of them Gandalf and Bilbo included, they were allied with Elves and with Men, yet were still sadly outnumbered. As they fought, her mind began to spin, and one by one she watched them fall.

First Bofur, then Ori, Dori fell as he tried to reach his brother, Nori was far afield when his body became riddled with Orc arrows. Balin was cleaved by a great sword of a troll, and Bombur was struck through the heart by a spear. Gloin took a mace to the side of the head and Bifur was taken out by a pair of wargs, tearing him apart. Oin was devoured by bats, his blood sucked out of his body, his flesh torn and stripped. Dwalin died trying to protect her while she stood helplessly watching as others fell, he took a sword to his chest, cleaving through his heart. A great white beast with a dark black shadow stalked after Thorin, Fíli and Kíli were at his side, trying to keep their uncle protected at all costs.

They fought valiantly, all of them did, Fíli and Kíli took down many of their enemies as they worked together to destroy the darkness that was upon them. Thorin took an arrow to the chest, just above his heart, but he still stayed standing, fighting. Then Fíli took an arrow to his shoulder, and another to his lower back. He could not raise his arm to parry the sword that sliced through his chest, cleaving his heart. Kíli screamed as though the pain were his own and went after the Orc that killed his brother, taking its head. Thorin swung his great axe at the white and black shadow, but it was ineffective, nothing could kill it. Another arrow struck his body, in the thigh, and then another in his back. Still he fought and Kíli tried to protect him with his own body as three more arrows struck him in the chest. Rylee watched as he lay on the ground convulsing and coughing up blood. Thorin cried as the shadow figure came at him, lashing out with a broadsword, his head rolled from his body. The head, Thorin's head looked up at her, "You must save us Rylee, help us, save us," and Rylee started to scream.

It was Thorin's watch, he and Dwalin watching the camp as the company slept. Dwalin was never a man of many words but when he did speak, he always spoke his mind. He kept looking at the fire, and then back at Rylee where she slept fitfully beside Mikhaul. Finally the bald dwarf spoke, "Borne of fire and magic, made to fight dragons, and on a quest to change fates. I never thought I would say this about a female, Thorin, but that lass right there scares me something fierce. Not because she could do us harm, mind you, but because I have never met a dwarrowdam so ready to die."

Thorin hummed in agreement, "Aye, but how do we protect her without insulting her honor?"

"You got me," Dwalin said shaking his head, he moved away to do a sweep of the surrounding area.

Thorin looked over at Rylee and thought of the events of the evening before. Hearing what she told Kíli as they returned to camp, "Regardless, you will respect me as I respect you. If you want something of me, ask for it, or not. But do not dare treat me with disrespect that I do not deserve!" An elf would have offered an insult, men would draw weapons. Rylee used words that requested Kíli's respect, commanded his respect. He could see the grace of Nienna within her. Kíli must have said something pretty insulting to get a response like that. Thorin wondered what he said that hurt her so badly.

She began to thrash within her bedroll, her hands struck out at an invisible foe and she let out a silent scream as she sat upright, her eyes wide with horror and fear. He rushed to her side, knelt beside her, stopping her hands, taking them in his own. She flinched back, but he held fast. "It's okay, it was just a dream, Lukhdel, just a nightmare."

"The dreams are worse, I thought the fire would make it better, it was not strong enough, it was not pure enough," She whispered huskily. She gripped his hands in her own and looked up at Thorin as her mind moved away from her nightmares and on to what was really bothering her, "Why would he say those things Thorin? They were horrible and made me feel like I was less than dirt. Words have never cut so deep before."

He met her sad eyes and quietly he said, "Kíli spoke out of turn, he has never met anyone like you. It is hard to fathom a dwarrowdam with the ability to wield blood magic. When I found out about your ability I was terrified, terrified of you, and for you. I knew then that your path would be difficult."

"Ugshar, I wield a magic so different that I am feared because of it. How can expect Kíli to accept it if even you cannot?" Rylee choked back the tears, unwilling to betray any emotion when she spoke. She thought again of the darkness following her, the strange yet familiar dance of it, the beasts hunting her. The patterns made her uneasy. "He asked me if I am dark like Sauron. Compared me to the Deceiver."

"He did what?" Thorin's head snapped up meeting her eyes. Kíli certainly didn't admit to that, no wonder he seemed to look absolutely guilty all evening.

"The thing is, I fight the dark every day," Rylee admitted softly, "I worry that I wall fall like him. What if I fall into darkness and betray my father like Sauron did?"

"You won't," Thorin squeezed her fingers tightly, "My nephew is a bonehead, hardheaded and stubborn at times too. He doesn't know you, he doesn't know your spirit or your determination. With Nienna's Grace and Eru's strength, you are stronger than Sauron ever was. You would never let yourself fall."

Still, her voice came out thick and rough with the effort, she whispered lowly, just for his ears, "Did you know I was created to appeal to every race? Since coming to Middle-Earth, I have found that the opposite is true. Do you know what it is like to be shunned by everyone because you are different? I know that I will never have a place in the world that I was created for. I just do not belong here."

"Your place is here, with us. You are part of our company." Thorin said quietly, he sat beside her, holding her hands in his. He looked her in the eyes, "Your place is with me."

"Are you certain of that Ugshar? I seem to be doing more harm to your Company than good," Rylee said in frustration. She looked at Kíli, who hated her now because of her magic. Dori, who was already superstitious, looked at her with fear in his eyes. Gloin as always with suspicion. She thought about their conversation when she woke in the middle of their watch, they seemed oddly caring and she wondered why.

"I am certain," Thorin spoke softly, following the path of her eyes, "They do not fully understand yet who and what you are, but they will. Just give them time to adjust. Will you join us on our quest? The way I see it, we can offer you guidance, protection and camaraderie on our way to Erebor. While you can offer us your protection, assistance and advice in other matters as you fulfill your quest."

"I am a blooded warrior in my own right. I do not require protection. I will accept guidance and camaraderie," Rylee said with a small smirk, "but I expect to be allowed into watch rotation, and I will do my share. Also, I will continue to hunt, you cannot sway me against this. Consider it part of the protection I am offering you."

"Consider it done," Thorin agreed. He realized that somehow his wily pupil went and turned this discussion into a negotiation. "But no more wandering off, I want to know where you are going, and you report what you find. If there are dangers out there, I want to know what they are."

"You want to know when I am going hunting or when I need a bath?" Rylee's eyebrows shot up in surprise, "Is that really necessary?"

"When you go hunting, absolutely, I do not like your version of hunting, and I would rather be aware of it when you go. Stop just sneaking away, it is disruptive and makes me look like a fool in front of my men. As for the other, just oblige me, so we do not worry so much," Thorin said seriously, he felt he was handling this situation much better than he thought he would. Then he thought of the group discussion earlier while she was away. "Keep in mind you have a bunch of mother hens surrounding you. Dwarves are very protective of their females and you, Lukhdel, are no exception to that rule."

"I remember Durin saying much the same once," Rylee said chagrined. She huffed and rolled her eyes, "I had to help him kill a dragon for him to listen to me."

Thorin looked at her oddly, and Rylee quirked her brow in askance. He shook his head, waving it away. "So, will you accept my invitation, and become an official member of our Company?"

A smile swept across her face, "I would be honored to be part of your company, Thorin Oakenshield."

"Good, Bombur saved you some food. It is by the fire, I can warm it for you. There is also water for your tea." Thorin said, rising to his feet. He offered his hand, and upon taking it he hauled her to her feet. "Bombur says that you have been eating last. Is there a reason for this?"

"Males require larger rations than I do, even though Bombur does seem to be trying to fatten me up," Rylee shrugged. Then she sighed and made a small confession, "It's also best that I do not go too close to the cooking fire."

They made their way to the low burning fire. He put her food closer to the flames to warm it for a few minutes. The moment she sat down, the flames brightened, quickened and flared. It didn't take long for her food to be warm and he handed her the dish as well as the boiling water for her tea. "Why did you defy me last night Rylee? Why the open display of magic?"

"Darkness is following me and there is a release when I use my magic," Rylee explained softly as she looked up at him, "It offers me clarity and helps me – purify?" She paused for a moment wondering if that was the best description of what she got out of using her magic, "Hmm, Yes. Purify - my spirit. Only last night it was not enough to push the darkness back."

"It sounds like your magic is more complicated than what Mahal told me," Thorin whispered as he watched her carefully.

"It is. Much more complicated," She said, but she did not elaborate. Instead, she ate her food and drank quickly. There were still a couple of hours left of the last watch, the shift must have just recently changed. "Go back to bed Thorin, I will sleep no more this night, and you look like you can use more rest."

"No Rylee, this is my watch," Thorin shook his head at her adamantly.

"Do we really need to argue again, Ugshar? You will not win an argument against me, go back to bed," Rylee said pointing to his bedroll that was still laid out on a soft patch of grass. He was reluctant, but he went, and Rylee finished up his watch.

"Do you want me to talk to Kíli, Rylee?" Thorin asked as he closed his eyes.

Rylee shot Kíli's sleeping form a dark look, "No, I will deal with him, he owes me an apology."


	8. Where the Arrow Strikes

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either. I own only my OC's.**

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Chapter 8

Where the Arrow Strikes

May 3

Dwalin was on the far side of the camp checking out the perimeter and she was doing much the same on her side. Neither had spoken since she took over the shift from Thorin and she was grateful for it. He was a man of few words and she appreciated that trait very much. Looking off into the distance she allowed her senses to open and she searched the shadows for any and all threats. A feeling settled over her, cold and dark, like walking into a shadow on a hot summer's day. A chill ran down Rylee's spine, she did not like the feeling of whatever was out there. She kept her distance from the others until just before the sun was rising. She touched Thorin's shoulder and without a word spoken he was up and readying the company for the day. Rylee moved off to start helping tear down the camp.

"You feel it Mikhaul?" Rylee whispered as Mikhaul stepped up to Rylee, ready to have the saddle and packs put on. "It is big, close, and oddly familiar."

"Familiar? What do you mean Rylee? I have never felt this before." Mikhaul snorted softly shaking her head, her silver white main flared around her before settling, her forelock settling in her eyes. Rylee reached up and pulled the hair away.

"I am certain I know this beast, Mikhaul," Rylee said in frustration, the tension in her body, the clench of her stomach, the slight throb behind her eyes. They all screamed at her that she knew this darkness, and it was big and ancient. How ancient? Was it a foe from the First Age? What could it possibly be this time? "Whatever it is, it is close, and we need to get it off our tail and away from the Company. I will not risk their lives before I even know who I am supposed to save."

"Agreed, Rylee, hurry it up and let's go," Mikhaul whispered into her mind, her voice comforting and soft. Rylee curried her down quickly and pulled the thick saddle blanket over Mikhaul's back and turned to pick up the saddle. Kíli stood there, blocking her way. She went around him and picked up the saddle.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" Kíli asked her as she picked the saddle up off the ground.

Rylee shot him a glare as she moved around him to lift it onto Mikhaul's back. Gently pulling the straps tight and setting the tension. She was angry with Kíli, but there was no way she was going to take it out on her best friend, so she was being as gentle as she possibly could. Rylee all but growled her response, "It's your breath, go ahead and waste it."

"Rylee, at least hear him out," Mikhaul chided her gently.

"You were not there Mikhaul, he endangered me and insulted me," Rylee huffed in response. "He compared me to Sauron."

Kíli heard Mikhaul and winced at Rylee's response, she was still furious with him. She worked around him, picking up the saddle bags and placing them onto Mikhaul, strapping them into place. Rylee was completely ignoring him.

"I am sorry for what I said last night. I should not have made that comparison or minimized your skill as a war maiden, or assumed that you could not defend yourself. I should never have said what I did about blood magic. I had no idea that it was so passionate and beautiful." 'Like you,' Kíli thought as he watched her strap her belongings together and prop them up behind the saddlebags. He meant every single word that he was saying. By acting like the biggest arse in the world he pushed her away and hurt her, he made her cry. It was unforgivable especially when in her response to his horrible words she only asked him to give her his respect. Kíli watched her hopefully, but she did not acknowledge him by either word or by action. Was she even listening to him, or did she tune him out? Reaching out he touched her shoulder, trying to get her to look at him, she flinched under his touch and his heart squeezed even tighter in his chest. "I should never have called you a hybrid. I know you are nothing like Sauron. I sincerely apologize for my words and my actions. Rylee, please forgive me."

"Why should I Kíli, you treated me like I am something dirty, beneath you, to be stepped on and used." Rylee pulled away from him and continued working, tightening the straps on the packs so they would not fall loose on the road. "I am fully aware that I am a hybrid, I am okay with that, I am not okay with the way you said it. Some of the best people I know are Halflings and abominations to their races. I will take those people above others; at least they treat me with dignity and respect."

"You are right. You are not beneath me, or anyone or anything else," Kíli agreed wholeheartedly. He realized that he did even more damage than he thought, he needed to set this right. "You are the daughter of our maker and I know you would never turn on him. You are so much different than anyone I have ever known or ever met. I guess that scares me a little. It's not every day a dwarrowdam falls into my lap, especially one who can wield magic. Magic that is more beautiful and passionate than any I have ever witnessed before. What I said was truly unforgivable, but I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me anyways."

Kíli was good with words, much like Oropher, who was equally as eloquent. Oropher, who had done considerable damage to her as did his son. She didn't really trust words, she trusted actions. Everything was strapped on, all Rylee needed was her weapons and she was ready to go. She wrapped her whip around her waist and pulled her axes over her shoulder, and then she picked up her bow. Looking at the beautiful wood for a moment, she decided to strap it with her bags, it was highly unlikely that she would be using it anytime soon. The entire company other than Kíli touched the weapon at one point or another of the course of the last few days, and not one rune lit up. She moved to put it on Mikhaul.

Kíli blocked her path, "Please Rylee, I am truly sorry, can you forgive me?"

"After all the things you said you honestly think that a few pretty words are going to make me forgive you?" Rylee asked him scathingly, her heart was hurting by what he said, what he did. It was a good apology, she had to admit it, but could she forgive him? What if he did it again? How could she trust him after what he did to her? "You want me to forgive you? Prove to me that I can trust you. Prove to me that these are not just pretty whispers to make yourself feel better."

"How? How Rylee?" Kíli pleaded quietly, her frown and the sadness that showed on her face made him want to scream. He would do anything, anything at all to prove himself worthy of her trust. "How do you want me to prove it to you?"

"I don't know!" Rylee hollered in frustration, all motion in the campsite stopped and every eye was turned on them. "It's your blasted apology! You think of something!"

Kíli looked at her and looked around at the others who were watching intently. He sighed. There was no such thing as privacy in this place! He thought about that for a moment, then he said rather loudly, "Rylee Emitheral, I am truly an arse if there ever was one. I interfered with a battle you were more than capable of winning, I underestimated and undermined your skills, and nearly got you killed."

Rylee was staring at him her eyes wide in shock, she met Fíli's eyes and arched her brow in question and he shrugged at her shaking his head. Then she looked back at Kíli, who continued speaking loudly. "It was wrong of me to call you a Hybrid, a witch, and an enchantress. You are the daughter of Mahal and you deserve to be treated with deference. I was disrespectful and rude to you, I am a disgrace to my mother and to my uncle, and I should know better than to behave in such a way."

"Worst of all I should never have compared you to Sauron," Kíli confessed, he looked sheepishly at Thorin, who was glaring at him. Muttering from all around the camp started to rise at this but Kíli continued, knowing that there was only one thing that she was truly pissed off about. Kíli was thoroughly embarrassed by what he was saying, but he wanted to prove to her that he meant what he was saying, and this was the only thing he could think of. He looked her directly in the eye and continued. "Beyond the fact that it is an insult to your character, which has always been impeccable. It was an affront to Mahal who made all dwarves and who created you in his forge and raised you in his Mansions. You would never turn your back on your father and you would never become like the Deceiver."

He was standing right in front of her, still blocking her way. Everyone in the company was staring at them, and she felt pressured to accept his blasted apology. At the same time, he was more red-faced than she was, his ears were even redder than his face. To admit one's faults to everyone was courageous and he was publicly allowing them to judge his transgressions. Still she felt a lingering doubt, she wasn't sure about what she was feeling. Should she forgive him?

"I never meant to hurt you, I swear it," Kíli said looking her in the eye, he could see her discomfort and frustration, as she looked over his shoulder at the others. The frown still lingered on her face, she did not seem appeased at all. "Please Rylee, will you accept my heartfelt apology?"

She growled not yet ready to give, biting her tongue, she moved to go around him and he stopped her again, this time taking the bow out of her hands. They both looked on as the bow lit up, starting with the runes that surrounded the handle, spreading outward brighter and brighter all the way to the nocks at the tips. The entire camp including Kíli gasped in shock and Rylee grumbled in annoyance. Sure, it just had to be Kíli. Mahal and his bloody sense of humor! 'Worst timing in the world too,' Rylee thought feeling chagrined.

"More Magic?" Kíli asked as the light slowly faded from the bow.

"Aye, you have a problem with that?" Rylee growled at him darkly.

Kíli looked at her, and she held her eyes away from him, it was as though she was afraid to meet his gaze. "No, it's a part of you, I accept you as you are, blood magic and all."

"Good, because the damn thing just chose you to be my teacher," Rylee said in annoyance. She swore in her head in every language she knew. She made a bet that very first night, that Mahal dropped her in the lap of the teacher and sure enough, it was Kíli. Thorin began to chuckle on the far side of camp and Rylee shot him a dark glare.

"What?" Kíli asked in surprise. He knew she kept saying that she needed to find a teacher, but he never really thought that the bow was truly going to choose the teacher for her.

Rylee sighed heavily and looked at the bow with love and longing and no small amount of defeat as she spoke grudgingly, "Kíli, will you teach me to use my bow?"

"I will if you will forgive me for what I said," Kíli whispered, he wished that she was looking at him with those loving eyes, and not some piece of layered wood and string. He wanted her eyes on him, her hands on him. He wanted her in his lap and in his arms. He wanted to take back everything he said the night before. He wanted to rewind the evening back to when he held her against him, her entire body shivering in response to him. Again he wished he hadn't messed everything up.

"First off," Rylee said her face serious and grave, "I am nothing like Morgoth or any of his dark followers, Sauron included. Do not ever compare me to any of them ever again. I don't care that my soul has grown dark, I will fight it until I breathe my last breath. If you ever, and I mean ever say something like that to me again, I will take my whip to your hide, are we clear?"

"Yes," Kíli said simply, handing her the bow. She took it, her hand brushing against his, and as it did white sparks lit her deep grey eyes.

"Good. Second of all, I am a Hybrid, I am actually proud of that," She told him finally meeting his eyes. There was a deep and ancient sadness there, that he only saw once before, when she was grieving for men lost in battles. "For you to belittle what I am, that hurt. I am the Daughter of Mahal, a War Maiden of The Valar, I use magic differently than other elves and dwarves. Can you honestly accept that?"

"I can accept that," Kíli swore and gave her a smile, "I honestly think your magic is beautiful and passionate. Will you please accept my apology?"

Her face remained calm and cool, but at least she was no longer glaring at him, "Aye, I will accept your apology, but I swear Kíli, if you ever do that again, I will take it out on your hide in training. You will not walk without bruises for a week straight. Do I make myself clear?"

"It will never happen again, I swear it!" Kíli grinned, he would take whatever punishment she handed out as long as she would forgive him for being such an idiot. "So shall we practice tonight when we make camp?"

"I suppose so," Rylee said quietly, she strapped the bow to the packs on the back of Mikhaul and climbed into the saddle. "You better get going Kíli, or you will be left behind."

Kíli looked around and sure enough everyone else was up on their ponies, watching and waiting for them to join the company. He glanced back at her and asked, "What about you?"

"Thorin!" Rylee called across the camp, he met her eyes in question. "Mikhaul and I are headed south, we will find you later."

"Again, Rylee?" Thorin asked with a note of frustration. He did tell her he wanted her to report to him when she was leaving. Finally he nodded, realizing that she was actually following an order. For once.

"Always, Ugshar, always," Rylee said as Mikhaul trotted past the others. She barely made the edge of the group before they broke into a gallop. Chasing down the darkness once again.

* * *

It was a long day on the road, she felt a presence to the south of them, but when she searched in that direction it disappeared, whatever it was, it was elusive. It puzzled her, even Mikhaul was spooked by the oddness of the presence and Mikhaul did not get spooked. The feeling of familiarity did not go away, it settled into the pit of her stomach like a heavy meal and it was not going away. When she rejoined the group, she reported back to Thorin, and he could tell immediately that she was still on edge. She warned him that something big was tracking them. It was not much longer before Thorin decided to break for camp. There were fewer trees than he preferred and it was a little too high in altitude, but they were on the outskirts of Bree. Thorin decided to bypass the village to avoid unnecessary expenses, much to the chagrin of Bilbo, who wanted to buy a new pipe and some pipe-weed. The location of their camp meant greater exposure and greater chances of danger.

As soon as camp was set and their chores completed Kíli was at Rylee's side waiting for her to grab her bow. He looked at her, holding the bow lovingly in her hands. "No arrows, my lady?"

"Nay, I need to find the right materials before I can make the arrows," She looked at him thoughtfully for a long moment. He grabbed his satchel and they moved away from the camp towards an old dead tree that stood alone. "Maybe when I have the time and access to a forge, I will be able to make some. I was thinking trilobate tips. As a marksman, I would love your thoughts on your preference?"

"Armor piercing tips? You don't think that is a little overkill?" Kíli's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Well, no, I am a War Maiden, I don't hunt game, I go to battle," Rylee reasoned, meeting his gaze evenly. He could not believe it, she was perfectly serious. "I suppose I could make a few bodkin tips as well, but considering that I usually battle Orcs, Wargs, Balrogs and Dragons, I figured that the trilobate tips would make the most sense and be the most versatile."

"Fair enough, I like both, they each have their uses." Kíli smiled, he felt honored that she was asking for his opinion on the matter, when she was the weapon maker. "What kind of shaft and feathers were you thinking of using?"

"Not certain, perhaps you can help me find some suitable materials," Rylee said softly. Normally she would do all the work, from beginning to end, but for some reason it was important that Kíli be part of the making of the arrows. She didn't know why, but it felt right to offer him the opportunity to help make her arrows. Maybe she was offering him a way to make it up to her, to set things right.

"Well let's go then, you will use mine until we make your arrows." They stood in an open area, with one tree near the center. She loved the way he said 'we' making a fire curl to life within her. She mentally kicked herself, he insulted her last night and broke her heart and just because he gave her a public apology of his own accord, she was head over heels again? She was such a patsy! Talk about doormat behavior! He handed her a singular arrow. "Hit the tree."

"Right," Rylee rolled her eyes, it was obvious what the target was, that was not the problem. She looked at the arrow in his hand and looked him in the eye, "Before we start, I want you to use my bow, you hit the target."

"Why? You are the one who needs lessons," Kíli arched a brow at her.

She handed him the bow and the arrow. "Just do it. You will see why later, please just fire the arrows, you will understand in a moment."

She was nearly begging him to do as she asked so he took the weapon in his hands. The flex of the bow was astounding, the string taut to perfection. Nocking the arrow and finding the sweet spot, he could find no fault with the draw. He kissed the shaft, took his aim and one at a time he fired four of his arrows into the tree. All of them grouped together with precision. He grabbed the arrows and came back, handing her the bow and one of the arrows.

"The bow is perfect, as its name implies. Now will you aim for the tree?" Kíli asked her, he was becoming slightly annoyed. Why was she stalling? Was it her intention to make him jealous of her craftsmanship? If it was, she succeeded, her bow was as accurate as its name.

She took the bow from him and the arrow and inclined her head in a slight nod then she adjusted her stance, nocked the arrow on the string and pulled back. The bow curved under the weight of her draw as she took a breath steadying herself, aiming straight for the tree and released. Sure enough, the arrow curled right.

"How the hell?" Kíli muttered as he stood beside her, assessing her form and stance. Everything was perfect, she had excellent form. "Well let's see if we can find a way to get your arrows out of the field and into the target."

Kíli came up beside her, told her what adjustments to make, and she did as asked. Then she released the next arrow and it landed right beside the first. Thus, her problem, regardless of what she did the arrow always pulled to the right. It didn't seem to matter what corrections she made to her stance, the bow, the arrow or for the wind currents. The arrow always curled right.

"They are all going to end up there, Kíli, no matter what you do. They always land to the right of the target." Rylee felt a momentary pang of shame and a little more than sadness as she glared at the two arrows that sat embedded in the field. She showed him, altering her aim deeply to the left, sure enough the arrow curved, disobeying all laws of archery and landed with the others.

"I have never seen anything like that before," Kíli said softly, handing her yet another arrow. They all landed together in the field, no matter the adjustments made. He gave her another and she rolled her eyes and growled. Instead of aiming at the tree, she shot it straight up into the air. It too landed with the others.

Kíli chuckled softly, as he came up beside her, "Perhaps if we draw it together."

"Wh - what?" Rylee asked startled as Kíli handed her another arrow taking a matching stance right behind her. Head to toe, Kíli fitted himself against her, her breath caught in her throat. She froze, suddenly not sure as to what they were doing. She kept thinking of him holding her at the river the night before, and a painful desire curled through her like smoke. 'Stupid pushover! He will take advantage of you!' her brain raged at her, but her heart just refused to stop its heavy pace, and her body warmed instead of cooled. Reckless bloody fool that she was she wanted him to stay close.

"Relax, Rylee, I promise not to bite." He whispered in her ear causing a shiver to run down her spine. He pulled her hair off to one side, away from her face so that he could help her make her corrections. It was as soft as he remembered, thick and heavy. In a moment of weakness he buried his face in the thick waves, sunlight, honeysuckle, roses and lilacs scented her hair. Unique like her. He felt and heard her breath catch in her throat at the extremely intimate contact, but she did not protest.

His left hand rose to the handle of the bow, his hand brushed hers, and he adjusted her grip. He left his hand on hers, his other hand was on her right. Together they pulled the bow string back, taking aim. Kíli felt a tremor pass through Rylee as she aimed at the tree, trying to relax her stance. Everything she was doing was right, but he could tell that there was something off. "What are you thinking about Rylee?"

"The target, I am thinking of the target." She whispered. There was something in her tone that bothered him, she sounded so sad. "It will still land with the others, Kíli. It does every time."

"Rylee?" Kíli whispered in her ear and felt her shiver against him. Hmm, he liked that reaction from her, he wanted to make her shiver for him again.

"Hmm?" She was trying her hardest to remain focused on the task, and to stop focusing on Kíli's body pressed up behind her.

"Stop thinking about the target," Kíli said softly, another tremor passed through her. He felt it wherever they were touching, "Think of something else."

At that moment, the only thing she could think of was the way they seemed to fit perfectly against each other. The way his breath teased the bared expanse of skin at her collar, and the way his voice made her shiver. They released the arrow. It hit the center of the tree. She didn't even see it. "Kíli."

"What were you thinking of Rylee?" Kíli asked softly. She was barely breathing, barely moving. She was silent for so long that he was sure she was not going to answer him.

What could she say! If she said anything at all, it could ruin whatever shaky friendship they were creating. She was certain that he was just flirting with her, which signified interest, but not anything more profound. She knew this and yet she stood there in an open field with Kíli's arms around her, teaching her how to properly fire an arrow and felt a singular blatant attraction to him. Damn it! She was such a doormat! 'Bite your tongue Rylee and say nothing!' She thought. Suddenly the words tumbled out of their own volition, "You, I was thinking of you."

She was such a lovesick fool. She closed her eyes and waited, and cursed her idiocy, sure that he would step away. Until she felt his mouth on her shoulder just above her collar, he made a heated trail to the soft, sensitive spot behind her ear, and she gasped in pleasure. The bow was gone, he turned her towards him, and pulled her closer. Rylee looked up into his dark chocolate eyes and she was swept away. She felt his lips light across hers, she gasped in surprise and he deepened the kiss. His tongue met hers, circling gently. She matched him tentatively. Her heart racing, her mind spinning, she felt like she was being swept away. It was everything she could have dreamed of for a first kiss.

She seemed unschooled as he kissed her, every move he made, she copied and he realized that this was her first kiss. That thought made him wildly happy and scared the living daylight out of him at the same time. He pulled away, breaking the kiss. He looked at the courting braid in her hair. How was it possible that she wore that braid and was so unschooled in kissing, of all things? A courting couple was allowed to kiss! Not that he minded, hell no, he was over the moon that she let him kiss her. He just wondered why her suitor did not. Whoever he was, he must have been out of his mind not to.

"We should go back to camp, it grows late and they will be missing us," Kíli whispered, not quite wanting to let her go.

"Aye," She breathed but didn't move a muscle, she was too afraid that her knees would collapse beneath her. All she knew was that he was her One, and he kissed her. This could turn out really, really good or really, really bad for her. It all depended on the handsome dwarf prince holding her in his arms.

"Come, let's collect the arrows." Kíli stepped back, watching with amusement as the focus returned to her eyes. He very much enjoyed the reaction she was having in response to him. Together they moved towards the arrows, Rylee towards the ones in the field and Kíli towards the tree. He joined her after pulling his arrow from the tree and together they gathered the rest.

Twice their hands met reaching for the same arrow, and both times Rylee froze under the contact. Her heart racing, her entire body heating, she was turning into a puddle of thoughtless mush. She needed to slow this down, she needed space to think this through. He hurt her and she let him kiss her? Where were her thoughts taking her? She was on a bloody quest! She was going to die again, and she could not, would not allow him to get close to her, just to die on him. She could not hurt him like that! She would rather give in to the fade than allow him to hurt because of her. Why couldn't she be a regular dwarrowdam and pine for a lost love? No! She just had to be a hybrid! Fall head over heels like a dwarf and fade, heartbroken like an elf.

Regardless, she was betrothed to someone else, it didn't matter that ages had passed. Unless of course customs had changed, she and Thorin never really discussed courting and marriage rituals, it seemed unnecessary. It was now the Third Age and she had no idea what the rituals were. She only knew of the ones of the First Age, and only because she lived them. She was witness and matron of honor for Durin's wife, Eridith. She stood beside her and helped weave her hand-fasting ribbon over their blood-bound hands.

Her friend Jovina was the one to teach her the courting rituals of the First Age, mostly so Rylee could avoid the pitfalls and escape any kind of entrapment. Not that it helped. She was trapped into a courtship she didn't want, it didn't matter that she was blackmailed into it, or that Oropher held hostage the Star of Ilúvatar. Elves did not age, so if he still lived, and he was not married, she was obligated to her first suitor. Regardless of whether she desired the suit or not, she was courted to someone else and unless legalities changed, it would stay that way.

She made it back to camp just as dinner was being served. Rylee was lost in thought as she put her bow beside Mikhaul and joined Thorin just out of reach of the fire. It just seemed to be the place she gravitated to, and she wondered what had changed. Was it just that he was the one here that she knew best? He did help to raise her, so it would make sense. She sat down and stared into the flames of the fire. Thinking of Kíli's kiss, what it meant to her.

She looked around the camp and watched the interactions. Dwalin and Balin were sitting nearby Thorin, in fact, Dwalin had made space for her to sit between them. Dori was hovering over Ori and keeping a watchful eye over Nori. Oin and Gloin were sitting close to the fire, Oin was checking his pack for herbs that he needed, and Gloin was looking at his locket again. Bombur was hovering by the fire, filling bowls with stew, and Bifur was whittling something new out of a fresh chunk of wood. She wondered vaguely where the last project went. So far, he had given her a pair of musical spoons, which she played for hours, humming and chanting a variety of tunes to herself and a whistle. The company was surprised when she was able to make several different notes from the small piece of wood and play a simple child's tune. She noticed Fíli was oddly missing and Kíli had not followed her into camp.

"I take it your lesson went well?" Bofur said as he handed her a bowl filled with stew, a cheeky grin on his face. Then he continued, "Since you and Kíli have kissed and made up, I was hoping you might be forgiving enough to accept our apologies about the new spiders."

"What spiders?" Rylee nearly dropped the bowl as she met his gaze and followed it to her bedroll. She expected more puppets of the horrible arachnids. Instead, she spied a beautiful wooden flute. "Oh!"

"Just kidding lass," Bofur started to laugh as she flushed in embarrassment, "Bifur and I wanted to make it up to you for scaring you like we did. Since you enjoyed the spoons and whistle so much, we figured you might like an actual instrument."

"Thank you, very much, both of you," Rylee's heart was touched, and she could not stop the small smile that spread across her face. "I love music, Nienna taught me to play."

"Really? Which instrument?" Bofur asked with interest. Rylee knew from the past few nights that he held a great love for music and song. He often kept the group entertained by singing drinking and travelling songs.

"Well all of them, but I am only good at a few of them." Rylee smiled looking back at the flute. "I am better at strings than winds, so I am afraid that the flute was not one of them, I will have to practice a bit before I can play you anything."

"Well little dove, I am a master, if you need any help, just ask and I will teach you anything you wish to know," Bofur grinned as she smiled back.

Rylee took a bite of stew and thanked Bombur again for the fare, as she did every night. The heavyset dwarf just grinned sheepishly and turned away. Thorin watched the evenings interactions with interest and was amused by how everyone seemed to be settling in around Rylee. Over the course of the day, there were discussions and debates amongst the company about her magic, and the fact that she had proven that she was without a doubt the daughter of Mahal. They were all of the same mindset, how to protect someone who did not want or need protecting? Fíli was the one to come up with the answer. 'You don't,' he said, 'grandmother always said that a War Maiden should be at your side or protecting your back, but never beneath you, or behind you.' Aye, Rylee was very much like Thorin's mother, and she would never allow a Dwarf to protect her when she could protect herself.

"How did it go?" Thorin asked her as she set her spoon back into her bowl.

"The arrows still prefer the field to the target," Rylee grumbled softly, as she took a spoonful of her stew.

"Even after your lesson with Kíli?" Fíli asked coming up beside them, taking a nearby seat with his own bowl of food.

"I hit the target once, when I was distracted," Rylee told him sardonically. Her eyes flashing over to the aforementioned Dwarf as he joined his brother, and a blush rose on her cheeks. She needed to be more careful or he would drive her to distraction. She would find a way to distance herself from him. She had to.

"Must have been quite the distraction," Fíli smirked, watching the heat rise in the War Maiden's face. He witnessed that moment of distraction. Kíli embracing her in the field, she didn't even look at the target and somehow the arrow hit its mark. Thorin was right, Rylee was falling head over heels for Kíli, and Ki definitely wanted the little dwarrowdam. His uncle had every reason to be concerned. Courting customs decreed that it was up to the woman to make the first move, but so far, Rylee was acting more like a skittish filly, rather than a courting dwarrowdam. Not that Fíli blamed her after what Kíli did, and Kíli, fool that he was, was pursuing her anyways. The question was, would Rylee pursue her interest in Kíli or would she push him away like she did everyone else?

"Aye, must have," Kíli said with a knowing smirk as he took a bite from his own bowl. All he could think of was finding time to practice again with her again. Courting braid or not, she let him kiss her, that must mean something, right?

"So you have a special someone?" Fíli asked her from his spot beside Kíli. He knew how much that braid bothered his brother, and he figured that he would do his best to help his little brother. It made no sense for Rylee to be wearing someone else's courting braid when she was obviously interested in Kíli. Perhaps that was what was holding her back. Rylee looked up at him from her stew and quirked a brow. "The courting braid."

Her eyes darkened. If it were possible, her face became even harder as she looked back down at her stew, stirring her meal like it somehow insulted her. "More like a pain in my arse that will never die."

"If you dislike him that much, why did you allow the braid?" Kíli asked, shooting a glare at the offensive braid.

"I didn't, you could say it was an arranged courtship. I woke up in a healing tent after a battle and found it in my hair. I was livid and wanted to remove it immediately, but certain circumstances prevented me from doing so," Rylee could remember waking up, exhausted and in pain. Like she had been hit by a Balrog. Her eyes were grainy and sore, like a grinding stone. She pulled her hair out of her face and found the weight of a new braid. One look at it and she was shrieking mad, when she tried tearing it out when a hand stopped her. A pale Elven hand.

"What circumstances?" Thorin asked looking at her. The Rylee he remembered would never keep the braid if she didn't want it.

"My jewel was stolen from me and the thieves refused to return it unless I agreed to a public courtship and marriage," Rylee said lowly. She tried to keep the anger out of her voice but was failing miserably. She was told about the stone, about the bargain he had for her. At first she refused their deal, and then came the threats, Oropher showed it to her one last time before hiding it in his pocket. She had no choice but to accept. "If I removed the braid they threatened to destroy the jewel. Kaia tried to help me get it back, but they hid it and we were unable to find it. I had to finish my quest without it."

"The jewel, you mean the Star of Ilúvatar?" Thorin looked at her questioningly and she nodded slightly.

"The jewel missing from your rose?" Kíli asked with surprise, he remembered her saying that it was broken. She didn't say that it was intentionally done. Again she nodded her affirmation to his question.

"Even then my advisors insisted I keep the braid," Rylee growled in frustration. The bloody bastards all knew that she was being blackmailed and they did nothing! Only one, an Elf-maid, stood for her and demanded the stone be relinquished. They did not listen to her, they did not listen to Olorin when he petitioned for her and they certainly didn't listen to Rylee.

"Why?" Fíli asked, looking at the girl who was giving a death glare to her bowl.

"Why else would a passel of buffoons push a dwarrowdam into courting a pompous prissy elf?" Rylee said glumly, she felt Thorin stiffen beside her. "They told me it was to keep the horde of others off my back, but really it was to create a deeper alliance with a High Elf. Now I am stuck with the damn thing until either I get the Star back or I can find a plausible way out. I don't know about today's courting customs, but in the First Age, this bead is binding unless a reasonable accord can be met for disseverment of the bond. Like Bilbo's piece of paper."

Fíli and Kíli exchanged a glance, they motioned for the others to gather around, and Rylee and Thorin watched bewildered at the sudden secret discussion. Finally the little gathering broke and the entire company with the exception of Bilbo and Gandalf surrounded them. Thorin looked on in amusement. Fíli to Thorin's right and Kíli to her left, the others sat in a large circle, the eldest closest to Thorin and the youngest to the far side of the ring. Rylee recognized the Dwarven Council immediately, her eyebrows rose in unmasked surprise, "What are you doing?"

"It's been two ages, Queen Rylee, and you have new advisors," Bofur said from his seat across from her, "I officially call this council meeting to order."

Rylee tried to keep her face straight as she looked around the circle, but a small smirk quirked her lips as she tried not to laugh at her new advisors. Ori was obviously the secretary, Gloin the treasurer, Bofur the head chair, and Bifur, the co-chair. Balin, Dwalin, Fíli, and Kíli were advisors. Bifur knocked his hand on the bottom of a pot to open the session, and Rylee smirked and said, "Council is in session. What motions are to be tabled?"

"I move to advise the Queen to remove the offensive elf braid," Kíli said leaning towards her, bumping her shoulder with his. He wanted it gone. If she hated her intended as much as she seemed to, it had no place in her hair.

"I second that motion," Fíli said from the other side of her. No one should be forced into accepting something they did not want, a courting braid especially. And for the elf to touch her hair without her permission, it was unforgivable.

"What arguments do you have to maintain your petition?" Rylee said stoically.

"It is against Dwarven custom and law, in this day and age, to force a dwarrowdam into a marriage. Any union between a dwarrowdam and a dwarf must be willingly accepted by the dwarrowdam, especially arranged marriages." Balin offered from a legal standpoint. Rylee looked at him skeptically. "In our culture it is expected that the Dwarrowdam make the petition for courtship, not the dwarf since there are so few Dwarrowdams, it is the best way."

"Furthermore, that bead is not a contractual signifier. It is considered a promise or a token, but it is neither legal nor binding. The courtship can be broken at any time if either party feels the union is unsatisfactory." Dori added to Balin's argument. "A written contract must be signed and upheld for any marriage contract to be binding. As it is, you have no contract; you are only courting and not actually married. He cannot hold you to a promise made in protest."

Gloin looked at her from his seat and smiled, "Has the groom paid for your dowry, to either your father or your guardian? Has he built you a home in which to live? These are also part of our current customs and decrees for marriage."

"Wow," Rylee said looking at the circle around her, "you have certainly found a way to complicate the most simple of unions."

"I take it that the courtships of the First Age were much more quaint?" Thorin asked from beside her, his voice was quiet, but it carried. Rylee nodded but said nothing. He was fully aware of the courting customs of the First Age, Mahal once told him what they were and that Rylee thought they were quite beautiful.

"Shall we return to the matter at hand? We still have a courting braid to resolve before we go anywhere near marriage contracts." Bofur said with at wink to Rylee from the far side of the circle, the Head Chair bringing order back to the council. She blushed lightly and nodded for him to continue.

"Six thousand years have passed," Dori argued for her, "the likelihood of the bond still being valid is slim. With all the wars over the past ages surely the elf is long dead."

"And if the Elf still lives? Unless he has fallen in battle, he is immortal," Rylee asked her eyebrow rose in query. They didn't have to do this, Rylee knew, the braid was her own burden to bear but these dwarves were trying to cheer her, so she went along with it. "Is there anyone here who holds evidence that the suit is no longer valid? Or any evidence that said Elf no longer wants the suit?"

"The Elf be damned!" Thorin said from beside her, glowering at her from her right. The daughter of Mahal should not be courting any elves, she was a dwarrowdam, and she would marry a Dwarf. He was rather surprised that his nephews created an advisory council for her, and even more shocked to hear her play along with their ruse. His response made the smirk on her lips grow into a small lopsided smile. Then Thorin added a legal concession, "Besides the missing dowry, he never had your guardian's permission to court you."

Rylee shook her head and said with a resigned sigh, "It is a good argument but what of the stone? If there is a chance to retrieve it - ."

"Oropher is dead, Rylee. He fell in the War of the Last Alliance. The likelihood of finding the Star is slim at best," Gandalf interrupted from the other side of the camp, he knew exactly who the elf was and why Rylee disliked him. She had good reason to be against courting him. If there was a way to get her out of it, he would do his best to help it along, "and your betrothed is long married and has an heir."

Thorin clenched his fist in rage, he knew exactly who her betrothed was. Thorin may have grown up within a mountain, but he knew more than enough of Arda's history to know who Oropher was and who his son was. Mahal, his family had more than enough history with that blasted Elf, but he said nothing.

"Really?" Rylee's eyes opened wide as she looked up at Gandalf, her expression was guarded but hopeful. At his nod, she sat as straight as she could and looked around the Dwarven circle and she asked formally, "Right, that would do it. The motion stands in session, all in favor of removing the odious braid?"

"Aye!" There was a resounding shout, and Rylee's lips lifted in a small smile. Even Bilbo and Gandalf answered.

"No point in asking the other. Motion passed." Rylee said. Her fingers found the braid and she grabbed the clasp and pulled it from her hair. She dug her fingers into the braid and it unraveled. "So, can we close the council or is there more to be discussed?"

"What are you going to do with the bead?" Thorin asked from beside her. Looking at the small diamond-like clasp she held in her fingers. The pure starlight crystalline gem had seemed familiar, and now he knew why. If he could, he would crush it for her, if she wanted it done.

"I am going to hit the elf with it when next I see him," Rylee said pinching it between her fingers. "Right between the eyes, right after I take back what he stole from me."

"That's quite the hatred of elves you have there," Balin said with an odd look. He glanced at Thorin when he said it. Rylee looked thoughtfully between Thorin and Balin, apparently there was still no love for the Elves among Dwarves.

"Oh, I don't have a problem with elves. Only one in particular," Rylee said coldly, an old rage burning darkly in her heart. She adjourned the meeting quickly, not wanting to have to explain further. "I hereby call this meeting at an end."

"Session closed." Bofur grinned and Bifur knocked on the bottom of the pot. They stayed where they were and finished their meal in cheerful companionship.

"Feel better?" Thorin asked bumping her shoulder softly.

"A weight has been lifted," Rylee nodded, enjoying her meal, thinking of the day she could confront the owner of the bead, and take back what was hers. It was her bet that before Oropher passed, he gave her jewel to his son, it was a priceless gem of sparkling white light and Rylee knew that Thranduil had a great love for such gems. He would have kept it and she would get it back.

Kíli felt better too, the damnable braid was gone. He could kiss her without thinking of some other having a claim on her. What in the world was he thinking? Since when did he have this obsessive need to court her? He didn't court ladies, flirted, chased and sometimes took lovers, but he did not court ladies. He did want her though. She could be his. If he made an advance would she ask to court him? She seemed a bit dismayed at their current customs. That thought made him wonder if she would follow First Age or Third Age customs for courting. What were the customs of the First Age?


	9. Mithril Queen

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either. I own only my OC's.**

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Chapter 9

The Mithril Queen

May 8

"Kíli likes you," Mikhaul said as they headed back to the company on the tenth afternoon. They were once again hunting after the elusive beast that was following them. It was a daily dance, Rylee and Mikhaul would chase the beast and the creature would evade them. Rylee was frustrated and angry. The familiarity of the creature added to the awful dreams of red eyes and twined bodies of green and gold, and silver and blue. It was making her prickly and bitter. Even Bofur's teasing around the campfire wasn't enough to get Rylee to relax.

"I like Kíli too, what is your point Mikhaul?" Rylee asked, preoccupied with her thoughts.

Mikhaul snorted in frustration, she had been trying to talk to Rylee about this for days, but the stubborn Dwarrowdam would either change the subject or she would shut it down as quickly as possible. As many times as Mikhaul would suggest that Rylee give up her grudge against Kíli, Rylee would say she held no grudge and drop the conversation. If Mikhaul suggested that Rylee let Kíli become close to her Rylee put up defensive walls so fast that Mikhaul wondered what was wrong with her friend. Snuffling in frustration, she decided that today she was going to get some answers. Completely unabashed with the subject Mikhaul said, "He wants to mate you, Rylee."

Rylee coughed in surprise, "He what?"

Mikhaul tossed her head in annoyance and repeated herself, "He likes you, and he wants to mate you."

"Just because Kíli kissed me once does not mean he wants to mate me! And we are Dwarves, not horses, we do not just mate! There are courting customs to be followed," Rylee said in frustration, she was having trouble concentrating on the sense of imminent darkness while discussing this topic with Mikhaul. Exactly what she did not need; Kíli causing her distraction when he was not even near her, but the damn Eruquine would not shut up about him. "I don't even know the courting customs of this time and other than the female making the first move, I don't know if there is something else that needs to be done."

"So, you would court him then? If you knew the rituals?" Mikhaul asked, happy that she was finally getting somewhere with the stubborn War Maiden.

Rylee shook her head in denial, "I didn't say that!"

Mikhaul snorted again dropping her head, "But you like him, why not court him?"

"Because he already hurt me once, and I am already a fool enough to fall for him," Rylee groaned in frustration.

"You mean fall on him," Mikhaul corrected her, not understanding.

"No I mean fall for him. I am afraid I like him much more than I am willing to admit," Rylee sighed, finally saying the words out loud. "Kíli is my One."

"What is a One?" Mikhaul asked. Horses didn't have these things, and Rylee never spoke of these things when they were together. They usually just got into trouble together or played pranks on each other.

"My One," Rylee repeated rubbing her chest as her heart hurt as she thought about Kíli, "My soul mate, the other half of my heart."

"So, why not court him?" Mikhaul said softly, her voice was gentle and cajoling, "Are you, no, it cannot be. You are afraid?

"Drop it Mikhaul," Rylee warned, damn right she was afraid. What if he was only feeling lust? What if he didn't like her the same way and he was just teasing her? What if she tried courting him and she screwed it all up. She had never courted anyone, yes she had been courted, but Thranduil hated her and only agreed to the marriage because his father wanted her, her magic, and her title. She knew nothing of love, and here she was fumbling around in lovesick frustration, without a clue.

"No," Mikhaul said stubbornly, "Why don't you court him?"

"I am not talking about this anymore," Rylee said in frustration. Her fears were valid, especially with how fast she was falling for him. She didn't want to be hurt again.

"You are afraid!" Mikhaul said in shock, "Rylee Emitheral the mighty daughter of Aulë is afraid of a boy!"

"Leave it alone, Mikhaul!" Rylee growled in frustration.

"Stubborn dwarf!" Mikhaul tossed her head in annoyance. Mikhaul decided to run flat out. She was going back to the Company, they were not following this stupid presence today. Rylee needed a break and she needed to lighten up. She never laughed anymore.

"No more stubborn than you are, you mule-headed Eruquine!" Rylee snapped hotly they were headed toward a massive green space, she was so frustrated with the horse that she truly was not paying any attention to where they were headed until it was way too late. Mikhaul was speeding up and not slowing down, and Rylee dug in her knees trying to hold on. "Mikhaul stop!"

"You have become a boring prude Rylee, you need to lighten up!" Mikhaul told her as she came to a dead stop, lowering her head, planting her front feet and kicking her heels. Rylee was unseated and flew high and long over her head. Rylee screamed in terror as she sailed through the air her arms waving wildly in the air as she came down in a thick, wet, slimy, smelly slough.

She struggled to right herself in the water and push herself to the surface, but it was like swimming through lava, so soupy and thick. She tried not to gag at the taste of the gunk that wound up in her mouth until she was able to swim upwards and rid herself of it. Finally, she broke the surface and spewed, spit, and gagged trying to get the vile mucous out of her mouth. Finally, she took a deep breath gagging at the stench that caught in her nose, and the gunk she accidently snorted in as she took a deep breath of needed air. She started coughing and sputtering trying to get stuff off of her face and out of her hair as she treaded water. Her boots were so heavy that she was kicking hard to stay afloat.

She wiped her face with the back of her hand and only smeared more gunk across her nose. She could see things dangling off of her head, and she reached up to pull them off and proceeded to make them more stuck. Frustrated and annoyed, she made her way to the shore, swimming slowly through the goop that surrounded her. The more she moved, the more it coated her, getting under her layers and filling gaps in her clothes that she wasn't aware she had. The plants wrapped tighter and tighter around her until they broke from their roots and tied around her. Her boots filled with sludge and became even heavier, slowing down her progress to shore. Rylee went perfectly still as something wiggled under the leather and against her skin. She could feel things rubbing against the bare flesh on her hands and at the top of her tunic.

"Oh! There is something in my clothes, and it is not me!" Rylee cried out as she started grabbing at her neck. She pulled out a large bubbling glop of slime out of her tunic, and much to her relief there was nothing other than bubbles within. She shook her sleeves and out dropped a couple of small minnows and a fat little green frog.

"Oh, look Rylee," Mikhaul said dropping her head and turning it so she could look at the frog, "You have a frog to go with your lily pad!"

"Eww, gross Mikhaul! That was rude!" Finally, she dragged herself out and sat down on the shore, green and brown water poured out of her heavy leather clothes. Rylee chuckled and flung some muck off of her sleeve toward the horse and was rewarded instead with a thick glop of muck that splooshed a foot away from its target. Seeing and hearing the sucking wet sound as it landed made Rylee laugh, and Mikhaul snort. Rylee bent to pick up the fat little amphibian and it jumped at the last moment hitting her in the eye, Rylee fell over backwards and Mikhaul snorted and whinnied in laughter.

Rylee looked up at the blue sky for a long moment, feeling a little chagrined at the mess that she was in. She sighed and was about to get up when something fat and wet splatted on her face. She tried not to scream as the recognized the frog looking down at her from its place on her mouth and nose. Mikhaul was howling with uncontrollable laughter, Rylee could hear it ringing through her mind as her best friend enjoyed Rylee's predicament.

"Corock," The frog said with a significant amount of superiority as he looked down at her.

Rylee grabbed the frog carefully and sat up looking down at it. "Corock to you too, Frog."

Climbing back to her feet, Rylee lifted the frog over her head and placed it gingerly on the lily pad that was now well tangled in her hair. She looked at Mikhaul, "So? How does it look? Do you think Kíli would like me now?"

Mikhaul snorted, howling with laughter, nickering away at Rylee plastered with an assortment of slime and plant life. She looked like a bog man. "We should go ask him."

Rylee tried to pull some of the plants off of her, but they were tied tight, she could barely pluck the leaves off much less the long fronds of seaweed that clung to her. As much as she tried to get it off, the debris was reluctant to move. She smeared more and more sludge onto her face than she got off, and the more she tugged at the reeds and ferns and seaweed, the more tangled around her it became.

"Um, Mikhaul?" Rylee said with a high-pitched sneeze as a fern fell forward and tickled her nose. She pulled on it, and it became a permanent fixture in her face, setting off several more sneezes. "We have a problem."

"What's that love?" Mikhaul said sniggering at her, "Get cleaned up so we can go."

"That's the problem," Rylee said tugging at another reed, only succeeding in pulling it tighter around her. She tried to get at her throwing blades, but the vines wrapped around her legs made even that impossible. She tried to pull her axes and they were wedged tight. Rylee whimpered in frustration. "It's not coming off. Is there a river nearby? Maybe I can get it to loosen up with some fresh water."

"No, there isn't," Mikhaul said lifting her nose to the air, scenting for clean water nearby.

Rylee whimpered again, in disgust, "You didn't think this through much did you?"

"I am a horse, Rylee, we don't need to bathe," Mikhaul chuckled watching as Rylee turned in a circle trying to pull off another dangling reed.

"You also don't have hands, we are going to need help," Rylee said with a small sigh, admitting defeat. "Do you think I could scare Kíli like this? I mean if we snuck up on him?"

"It is possible," Mikhaul sniggered at the thought, "Do you want to try?"

"Sure, we might as well enjoy the predicament while we can right?" Rylee smirked with a wry edge to her tone, "You did say I needed to lighten up."

"Up top then, Rylee, let's do this," Mikhaul said with a toss of her head. "Aren't you going to leave your friend behind?"

"Oh! The frog, is he still there?" Rylee bent low and tried to shoo it off, and Mikhaul laughed as the Frog struggled to stay on her head.

"I think it likes you Rylee, he isn't going anywhere," Mikhaul snorted.

"And I can't see him in order to remove him," Rylee replied, looking at Mikhaul. She climbed on the horse, "I guess he is coming with us for a bit. I hope we camp somewhere near fresh water."

"Me too," Mikhaul said with a snort, realizing just how badly the slough water reeked now that Rylee was on her back, "Because you stink!"

Rylee laughed and put her feet into the stirrups, "And whose fault is that?"

As luck would have it, they were not far from the others, and Rylee was still making splurching noises with every movement, which made a surprise attack on the company impossible. Not that it would have mattered because as they rode, Rylee contracted a case of the hiccups from the slough water she swallowed. The taste of slime and mud on her tongue along with the gait of Mikhaul turned her stomach making every hiccup nearly unbearable. They came up just behind Fíli and Kíli, who for some reason were unaware of their presence when Rylee, unsuccessfully tried to hide a loud, "Hiccup!"

Both turned in surprise and hollered when they saw her there, Rylee would have laughed but she hiccupped again. Mikhaul however was nickering and prancing in mirth, making it harder for Rylee to stay atop the horse. Kíli and Fíli burst out laughing and the rest of the company turned to see what was going on, halting the procession. "Bofur, look! Mikhaul's captured a Bog Beast!"

"Nice hat!" Kíli said trying to stop laughing at Rylee's expense. Her black leathers were colored brown and green with viscous slime. There were ferns, lily pads, flowers, cattails, reeds and seaweed sticking out of her clothes, her hair, in her weapons pack and wrapped tightly around her entire body. He wondered for a moment how she could even breath tied up as she was.

"Oh No!" Rylee said suddenly her grey eyes going wide with horror. Kíli had to suppress another chuckle. Fíli didn't even try and Bofur, Bifur, Dwalin, and Ori were all in throes of laughter as well as they watched the sodden dwarrowdam reach for the lily pad that sat on top of her head. "Is he okay? The frog, is he still on my head?"

"He is on the lily pad," Kíli nodded, his eyes sparkling with humor, Rylee's stomach clenched as she met his gaze and she smiled at him. She reached up to try to find the fat little frog.

"No! Leave him Rylee," Fíli said between gasps in his laughter, "He looks happy there!'

"You could keep him as a pet and name him Ribbit," Kíli nodded with a chuckle.

"Why would I name him Ribbit?" Rylee quirked a brow at him in confusion.

Kíli roared with laughter leaving Fíli to answer, "Because that's what frogs say."

"But frogs say Corock," Rylee said in confusion, then she did her best imitation of her frog, "Corock, corock, corock." The frog from on top of her head added in, "Corock!" as if in confirmation, making Bofur fall into another fit of laughter. "See he said Corock! You must be thinking of those Blue Mountain frogs, this one is a Beleriand tree frog, and he says Corock."

"So will you name him Corock?" Ori asked with a grin.

"I was thinking that he looks like a Thranduil," Rylee said impishly, making Dwalin and Balin chuckle quietly.

"Isn't that the name of some prince?" Ori asked quietly, "Are you wanting to turn the frog into a prince with a kiss?"

"Nah if I wanted to kiss it, I would call it Kíli," Rylee quipped and grinned back. Kíli wasn't sure if she was calling him a frog, or saying that she wanted to kiss him again. He hoped that it was the latter. Rylee went on musing out loud to herself, "Maybe I will call him Bob so that when he goes swimming I can watch him bob around in the water."

Rylee started to laugh at her own pun, and Mikhaul snorted with a shake of her head. Thorin's pony cut through the others as he joined them. He looked at her disapprovingly as he took in her appearance. "Are we done fooling around Rylee? We have a lot of ground to cover before we reach camp."

"Oh Thorin, you are such a stick in the mud," Rylee said with a sigh as the group started to move forward once again.

"No Rylee, from the looks of it that would be you." Thorin quipped, his lips quirked in a smirk and a bright glint in his eye, which made Rylee laugh.

Kíli looked at her in surprise, it was the first time he heard her laugh, really laugh. Sure he heard her laugh once with Mikhaul way back on the first day, but since then she only chuckled or smirked when someone said something amusing. She had a pretty laugh, it was somewhere between a tinkling laugh and a robust hearty guffaw. Her grey eyes lit up with sparkling white fire, leaving him stunned. Kíli wondered how it was possible for her to be beautiful covered head to toe in slime.

She reached up to stabilize the lily pad which made Fíli start laughing again. She was comical, looking like a little, camouflaged bush riding on the back of a massive black mare. Now that they were moving again, Rylee's branches and various debris was bouncing along with the gait of the horses walk. She looked completely ridiculous sitting there with plant life clinging to her, but she seemed in good spirits.

"So," Fíli ventured, his curiosity getting the best of him, "what happened to you?"

"Oh, Mikhaul figured I should lighten up and sent me flying," Rylee said with a chuckle. She tried to smear some of the slime away from her face, it was caking up and finally starting to come loose. "Who knew that slough slime is as impossible to remove as boat tar?"

"Do you need help Rylee?" Fíli asked pulling gently on a fern that was hanging out of the back of her tunic.

"Actually yes! Some of these reeds are wrapped so tight I can't even access my weapons, and the slime is stuck like glue in the most awful places," Rylee said. Grimacing as she tried to pull another glop of slime from her neck. "I will never get it off myself. The slime is everywhere and I mean, um, everywhere."

"Everywhere?" Kíli grinned cheekily his eyebrows rising.

"Oh! Um, aye, everywhere," Rylee blushed bright red as she realized what she just confessed. She tried not to whimper in mortification and meekly asked, "Please help me escape these plants? I miss Yavanna and love hugs, but this, this is too much love."

Fíli and Kíli both edged closer to her and started cutting away some of the tangled vegetation. The more they loosened, the more she was able to help them pull away the debris. From feet to shoulders they worked their way up freeing Rylee from her mess. It was quick work until Fíli tried pulling a reed from her hair and Rylee yelped in pain.

"My apologies, Rylee, that one is stuck but good!" Fíli said releasing the reed and moving his pony away from Mikhaul, "On the plus side, all you have left is that reed, the fern, and your lily pad hat."

"And the slime," Kíli said as he pulled the last of the slough grass from her shoulders on his side of her, "but I am sure you can bathe once we reach camp."

"Oh, I hope so Kíli, this is beginning to dry, and it is really itchy," Rylee sneezed as the fern dropped back into her face, hitting her on the nose. It was a high-pitched squeak that sent Fíli and Kíli into fits of laughter. She sneezed twice more as the tip of the fern touched her nose, again her sneezes squeaked.

"Thorin, we should stop soon," Bofur called up to the front, chuckling quietly, "Rylee is turning into a mouse."

"Bless you Rylee," Thorin called back causing the company to laugh.

"That's your sneeze?" Fíli roared again, "I thought your hiccups came back!"

"I like her sneeze, it's cute," Kíli said with a grin.

The fern drooped again setting off another series of sneezes which had Fíli in fits of laughter, and Kíli nearly in tears from laughing so hard. Rylee shoved the fern away from her face, her eyes were watering and she was sniffling. Rylee looked at Fíli and deadpanned, "I think I am having a reaction to the fern."

"You think?" Fíli asked incredulously. She grinned and tugged hopelessly at the fern, finally finding a way to angle it away from her face.

"Is the frog okay?" Rylee asked as she looked up trying to see. Her hands went back up to search for the little amphibian.

Kíli looked at her lily pad and the frog was holding on but barely, "Come here Rylee, let's get him off of you. He looks petrified."

Rylee leaned carefully towards Kíli, as gently as he possibly could he pulled the entire lily pad out of her hair with the frog sitting on it. He handed it to her and she set it in her lap moving to straighten in the saddle.

"Hold still Rylee, I will get the rest," Kíli whispered softly beside her, she shivered and went still. She felt a small tug on her scalp as he worked the reed out and then his fingers combed through the slimy tresses as he pulled out the fern. Finally he pulled away, "All done."

"Thank you, Kíli," Rylee said softly looking at his now slime covered hands. She turned and pulled a washcloth from her pack and handed it to Kíli, ever careful of the frog in her lap. Kíli looked at the cloth and then at Rylee and her lips curved up into a smile. "I think I will need a bigger washcloth than that, Kíli. Go ahead and use it for your hands, Fíli too. No point in the pair of you smelling like slough."

Both of the brothers cleaned away the slime that clung to their hands, and gave the cloth back to Rylee. She looked at it in disgust and laid it across the pommel of her saddle. She didn't want to put the grimy cloth into her pack and risk getting all of her other belongings dirty for no reason. Rylee felt irritated all over as the slime slowly dried to her skin. "I really hope for a place to bathe, I can't stand this for much longer."

They stopped for camp within the hour near a quick-running stream, and the moment they stopped Rylee took her lily pad to the stream and released the frog. Then she indicated to Thorin that she was going further upstream for some privacy. He nodded and reminded her not to go overly far, she just rolled her eyes and grumbled about being a big girl and not needing a keeper. She took her satchel of personal belongings and moved swiftly away.

Kíli watched her go. They had watch together, ate together, he could draw her into conversation but she rarely ever allowed him to get close enough to touch her. If he went near her, she would find something that needed to be done on the other side of the camp. Every night he set up his bedroll near hers just so he could be close to her, but she barely seemed to even give it thought. The only time when he was able to get anywhere near her, was when he was able to convince her to do a lesson with her bow, and even then she held him at a distance. Between her duties in camp, her hunting and her need for hygiene, he was only able to get her to commit to an archery lesson every third day.

It was ten days into their journey, five since he kissed her and this was the first day he had any contact with her. All because of an incident with a slough, Mikhaul took great pleasure in regaling him with some of the details of their argument, as well as Rylee's not so graceful launch into the air. Kíli shook his head at the mare and wondered once again why he went to the horse for advice on Rylee. She was Rylee's longest friend, but the horse was, well, a horse.

"Why did she let me kiss her if she was not interested?" Kíli complained to Mikhaul as he curried down one of the ponies as he watched Rylee leave camp for a bath. If she came back early enough, he would ask her to practice with the bow. "It's like she sees right through me."

"She doesn't, I swear it Kíli. She watches you when you are not looking," Mikhaul's voice whispered into his mind. "I think she really likes you, and it scares her."

"Why would it scare her? She has had suitors in the past," Kíli reminded Mikhaul, he was completely frustrated. Nothing he was doing was working to get her attention. Upon Mikhaul's advice, Kíli was doing everything he could to impress Rylee, to show her that he would be a good provider, a good protector. It seemed very quaint and almost animalistic when he took the time to think about it. Was he really following First Age customs, or was Mikhaul sending him on a goose chase?

"Well that's easy, you are different from them," Mikhaul nickered in response, "She has no idea how to handle someone who is actually interested in getting to know her. You are interested in the same things. You like music as she does. You even like fighting, and weapons, the bow has brought you closer."

"The only time she hits a target with an arrow is when I make physical contact with her." Kíli scoffed in annoyance. "She becomes so frustrated with her aim that I have to distract her in order to stop her from thinking so much."

"Exactly, you drive her to distraction," Mikhaul said as if it was the very answer to everything. When he didn't get it she snorted in frustration, "Think about it Kíli, she is a War Maiden, she goes into battle every day. The last thing she needs is a distraction. You distract her, you terrify her in a way no one else ever has. You will have to pursue her, she is too afraid to do it."

"Do you even know Dwarf courting traditions Mikhaul? It is supposed to be the Dwarrowdam that does the courting, not the Dwarf," Kíli glared at the mare. He really didn't understand what all this showcasing of his strengths had to do with anything. "She already knows my strengths, and every time I try to spend time with her she pushes me away."

"Well that is silly, how is a mare to know if you are the right mate if you do not show her your strengths?" Mikhaul shook her head and snorted again.

"First, Rylee is not a horse, she is a Dwarrowdam," Kíli rolled his eyes, why was he taking advice from Mikhaul again? She was a horse, what could she possibly know about courting? "Second, if she was interested in courting she would give me a token of some sort. She is not interested, so what is the point in doing all of this?"

"You hurt her, Kíli, give her time to get over it," Mikhaul snorted back at him. "You don't know her all that well, Rylee can hold a grudge for a long time. The only time I have ever seen her forgive someone quickly is when they have proven to her that they meant their apology. You need to keep showing to her that you are worthy of being her mate. Which means you must keep showing her that you are strong enough for her."

Thorin hid the smile that was threatening to show, as he watched Kíli and Mikhaul conspire once again on how to get Rylee to show interest in Kíli. Thorin was still undecided if he should encourage the pair or not. Kíli was Rylee's One, but if the lad was only interested in her shallowly then Thorin would rather Kíli leave the War Maiden alone. If Kíli was serious, then that was another matter altogether. The fact that he was asking the horse for advice amused him and also made him think that this might not be a passing fancy.

"You look thoughtful," Gandalf said joining him with his pipe.

"Hmm, just wondering if I should put an end to this fumbling courtship, or if I should see how it plays out," Thorin said as he watched Kíli and Mikhaul talking together. "Have you noticed he has been waiting to set up his bedroll until Rylee sets hers up just so he can make sure he is close? He is attentive to her and is constantly trying to show off his ability to care for her. I swear the lad is courting her by First Age customs."

"Rylee is your god-daughter, Kíli is your nephew, so they are cousins are they not?" Gandalf said shrewdly, his eyes following the younger Durin prince. "Can you even allow this?"

"They are not cousins. Kíli is my nephew by blood, I have helped raise him since his father, Sevrin, passed. He is like a son to me, I love him dearly, but he is not mine," Thorin shook his head and said softly. For days, he worked through these exact thoughts and emotions. Watching his student fall farther and farther under Kíli's spell, he had little choice in the matter. "Rylee is not related to any of us. I was only there to teach her, train her. I care for her but only as her mentor and her guardian."

"So where does that leave you?" Gandalf asked amused as he looked at the perplexed Dwarf King, he could almost see the thoughts rolling through those bright blue eyes.

"I think I need to step back and just be Rylee's mentor, and guardian in this situation," Thorin said as he thought it through. He furrowed his brow as he considered what he was trying to say, "She is almost fully grown if this is what she wants then I cannot stop her."

"Considering the lineage of the Durin's and the strength of the alliances to be made," Gandalf said softly, trying to figure out what Thorin was really up to. Did he truly have Rylee's best interests at heart? "Would Fíli not be the better candidate? He is more mature and he shares similar status."

"Would he?" Thorin chuckled shaking his head at the wizard, looking over at Fíli, who had just returned to camp with Dwalin, carrying a clutch of rabbits for their dinner. "Have you ever seen them interact? He sees her like a bratty little sister, he even treats her as he often treats Kíli. If there is love there, it is as Kin and nothing more. Status or no, Rylee would never settle for less than her One."

"I am rather surprised to hear you say so," Gandalf said with a new perspective on the often brash Durin King.

"You thought me heartless enough to keep her from her love, Gandalf? Just for the strength and power she could give to our people?" Thorin looked at the wizard feeling a little insulted, and more than a little chagrined, "If that was the case, I might as well keep her for myself."

"You don't care for her like that," Gandalf said taking the admonishment as it was meant to be.

"Exactly," Thorin said with a sharp nod, the smell of roasting rabbit was making his stomach clench in hunger. The sun would be setting soon and Rylee would be returning any moment. It was an unspoken agreement that she would be back by sundown when she went to bathe, an agreement that she adhered to. Thorin was sure that it was because she didn't want to worry Kíli. Thorin looked at Gandalf and finished his thought, "She has unfortunately fallen for a dwarf prince. Who up until recently, could not be bothered with the rites of courting, and cares more for the thrill of the hunt."

"You make it sound like it is fatal, Thorin," Gandalf chuckled quietly, "It is love."

"She loves him like a Dwarf, fully, completely, immediately," Thorin said to Gandalf. Few people understood what love for Dwarves was like, their society was so secretive about rites, rituals, and histories. "Mahal told me that if she falls and the love is not reciprocated she will fade, like an elf."

Gandalf nearly choked on his pipe at that news, "That is troubling."

"Aye, it is, especially considering that Kíli will run in the opposite direction if he is pushed into something he is not ready for," Thorin nodded. Taking a draw off of his own pipe and letting the taste of Old Toby fill his senses and calm his nerves. "Rylee is smart to push him away, to keep her guard up."

"I don't think she is even aware of what she is doing," Gandalf said softly as he watched Rylee walk back into camp a small contented smile upon her face. "She keeps everyone at arm's length, she always has."

"Not surprising," Thorin said with a slight nod. "Eru had the Valar sever ties with her long ago. It was only meant to be temporary, but since that decree, she severed her own ties and has kept everyone at a distance. Me especially and I have seen her do the same with you. You have seen her struggle with this since she arrived in this time. Has she ever allowed herself to become attached to someone?"

"Two people, actually, the first was Jovina of the Blacklocks clan. She was Rylee's hostess in her first two lives, I am not sure what happened to her. The second was Kaia, a Dwarrowdam, Durin's eldest daughter. She was Rylee's handmaiden," Gandalf said thoughtfully, Thorin was correct, even her closest friends she kept at a distance. Only Jovina and Kaia ever became close to real friendship and acceptance. "She disappeared in the attack of Grace Gardens."

* * *

The beast was driving her insane. She could feel it, the darkness on the outskirts of her senses, even as she walked up the bank of the creek searching for a place to bathe. But the moment she went hunting for it, it would disappear. For days, they were doing this dance and Rylee was more than a little frustrated. Mikhaul was right, she was letting the stress drag her further into the darkness, and her very spirit was paying the price. She needed to lighten up and enjoy her days, it was, after all, one of the pieces to her quest. She tried once again to remember the words.

"Change the Hands of Fate."

"Find all that is lost."

"Take back what is yours."

"Be blessed child, and live fully, for this is to be your last."

"The Archer is the One who will teach you, Rylee."

She found the archer, he was teaching her, so far they did not make any progress, but he was trying. She loved spending time with him and had to fight with herself every night. If she gave in to her desires, she would spend every moment with him.

The rest of the quest, she was working on. To live fully, she needed to stop allowing this beast to drag her down, she needed to focus on being happy and enjoy each day. To take back what was hers she needed to find the Star of Ilúvatar. To find all that is lost, this part of her quest confused her, she didn't know what she might have lost other than the Star. She shook it off and saved it for later thought. She was left with the main quest, Change the hands of Fate. She still didn't know who she was to save or when she was supposed to do it.

Her dreams were unclear. All she ever saw was the fiery eye, and a pair of twining dragons one silver and blue the other gold and green, both with blood red eyes. Then she saw death, flashes of people she cared about dying in a variety of ways. It was horrible. She needed to cleanse, she needed to use her magic again.

First she needed to bathe and get the stench of slough off of her body and out of her clothes. Her boots squelched as she made her way up the riverbank, she could feel the slime between her toes and it made her want to gag. It was one thing to walk barefoot through a mud puddle knowing that the mud would sploosh up between her toes, it was another to feel it within the protection of her heavy boots. She scouted a good spot and made her camp. Rylee went through her ritual, starting the fire, setting her stuff out for her bath, setting up her metal working pack, and stripping down.

She stripped down, grabbed her soap and waded into the river. The water was clear and cold, but that didn't matter much to Rylee. Being made of fire, she rarely ever felt the differences of temperature. Gandalf's admonishment at Bilbo's house was mostly to keep her from destroying the table with her armor than anything else. She also suspected it was to get her off Kíli's lap. The wizard was protective of her but then even when he was Olorin he was protective. Trying to petition for her to get the star back and staying with her during her last five years in Beleriand. He was like an older brother to her, and she knew that it had more to do with Manwë and Nienna than anything else, she was certain that they asked him to watch over her.

She started to scrub the slime from her body and the magic in Yavanna's soap started to work. Lifting away the grime and the dirt and the bugs and whatever else was coating her body and her hair. She could smell the roses and lilacs and honeysuckle come to life around her as she cleaned the scum away. She sighed in contentment as her hair came clean once again. Finally, she let the suds rinse away in the fresh flowing water and she waded back out. She took off one of her ankle scabbards and washed underneath. Once the sheath and the knives were clean, she strapped it back on and did the same with the other ankle.

She dressed in her clean underclothes, not wanting to be caught naked again, as promised to Kíli. Then she grabbed her soiled clothes and scrubbed them clean in the river. It took forever to get the slime off of the leather, and even longer to get it all out of her boots. She hung the clothes and her wet towel to dry on a bush, and her boots near the fire and then set to work with her metal working kit.

She already had in mind what she was going to make, the image was clear in her mind. This time she gave in to the fire completely. Letting it wash over her entire form as she used her tools and worked the metal in her hands. Manipulating the stained black iron with her tools and her hands, it would be a beautiful piece once she was done with it. While she worked, she let her emotions flow into the metal, all of her dreams, her fears, her wishes, and the love that was growing stronger every day. She let it fill the metal as she worked it.

She released her power and let the fire flow around her wild and free, and completely uninhibited lifting her soul to great heights. For the first time in days, she felt liberated. Free of sorrow, free from doubt, free from fear. She felt strong and confident. Whole, Rylee felt whole. When she was in the throes of magic, she felt complete. It was invigorating, as much as it was exhausting. She knew that she would need a nap before she went back to camp, so that Thorin would not worry. She worked until the main body was complete and then put the piece back into her metal pack. She checked her gear and noticed that it was still not yet dry, so she leaned against a rock with her axes in her lap and gave in to sleep.

* * *

It was nearing sunset when she finally returned. She was dressed in the grey leathers again, as she walked past him the scents of honeysuckle, roses and lilacs washed over him. Her hair was bright and shining in the last rays of the setting sun. Kíli could smell the smoke from her campfire on her and he knew that she had been crafting and using her magic. He could not help but wonder what she was making. He wondered how it was possible that the wood smoke seemed to accentuate the scents of the flowers, combining them into something that was purely Rylee.

"You ready for your lesson?" Kíli asked her, a small smile quirked his lips in anticipation.

She arched a brow at him in a sardonic attempt to dissuade him, "You still think you can make the arrow change its course, do you?"

"It would not hurt to try again Rylee," Thorin admonished her, shooting her a glowering look. "Also since you are both here, you have fourth watch tonight."

Rylee's eyebrow quirked, if she didn't know better she would think that Thorin was trying to play matchmaker. She shook that thought away, why in the world would he do a thing like that? She brushed the odd thoughts aside and joined Kíli for her lesson. This lesson followed along like every lesson before it, all arrows landed to the right of the target, a tree stump this time. Her arrows kept landing in a patch of small mushrooms. "Well, rest assured I can always hit the damn mushrooms."

"Try adjusting left again, Rylee," Kíli said from behind her, she sighed and did as he asked, it still landed in the mushrooms.

"If I didn't see that with my own eyes, I would never believe it," Nori laughed coming up behind them. "Perfect form, perfect aim if you are shooting for that rock o'er yonder, and yet it still landed in the mushrooms. Kíli, maybe you should help her with the aim."

"That's the thing Nori, I can help her with her stance, her aim, everything, but it still lands in the mushrooms." Kíli was beginning to sound as frustrated as Rylee felt. "Rylee, aim at the stump again."

Rolling her eyes and sighing in irritation, she did as requested and let the arrow fly. Again, it landed in the mushrooms. Kíli handed her another arrow, he saw the crease form on her brow. "Rylee?"

"Yes, Kíli?" Rylee shot him a dark look, drawing the bow back.

"Can I kiss you again," Kíli whispered softly, for her ears only. Completely distracted by his question she released the arrow and looked up at him, then at his lips and then in his eyes. "You hit the target, Rylee."

"Wh-what?" Rylee asked, her voice was low and breathless. She turned to look at the target and sure enough there it was, the arrow in the stump where it belonged. "You did that on purpose!"

"I had to distract you somehow," Kíli teased her with a wink.

"I'm done! I don't see the point in this. Take it, you keep it." Rylee said exasperated, she handed him the bow and he grabbed her hand instead of the bow, pressing her fingers tighter into the handle. Her heart nearly stopped from that one simple touch. Fire spread through her as she reacted to him. She could not give in to him!

"Do it again and try not to think so much," Kíli told her. His voice was commanding, and it startled her. She was not used to him giving her commands. He held out another arrow for her and released her hand.

"Fine, but if it lands in the mushrooms, this will be our last lesson," Rylee warned him with a dark look. She took the arrow and nocked it, aimed and was ready to fire.

"I can see you thinking," Kíli whispered in her ear, making her shiver, he could see her reaction, "think of something else. Think of Mikhaul and all the things you have done together. Or think of your quest. Do not think of the target. Do not think at all, if possible."

Rylee focused on sitting at the fire with a cup of her moon tea and let the arrow fly. It landed a foot closer to the target but still off to the right.

Kíli chuckled, he found her problem, she was over-thinking. He needed to find a way for her to clear her mind, "Well at least it's progress, what were you thinking about this time?"

"Tea," Rylee said with a half-smile.

He looked at the smile that played about her lips and the laughter he heard from her earlier. It pleased him that she could be the brunt of a joke and that she could laugh at herself, he even thought her horrible puns were adorable. He wanted to kiss her again, but she was avoiding contact, avoiding being close to him as much as possible. Even though she forgave him for what he said, she still was finding every reason to keep away from him. Damn it, he wished he could take it all back, she was still using it as a reason to stay away from him. He wanted to kick himself. 'I think I liked it better when you were thinking of me,' Kíli thought to himself with the smallest of frowns.

"Last arrow," He handed it to her, but instead of letting her take her own stance, he settled in behind her. She stiffened and made to walk away, but he held her in place, "Just testing a theory, Rylee."

She drew the bow and aimed at the target, thinking again of her tea. That was until his hands settled on her waist and all she could think about was him and the effect he had on her. She released the arrow and heard it hit the stump. He took the bow from her but held her against him, pulling her closer. Desire sparked in her, hot and electric. She had to stop this before she got hurt. His hand was on her belly, his mouth and lips brushed over her neck, he whispered in her ear, "I wasn't lying earlier. I want to kiss you again."

He watched as her eyes widened, her lips parted, her little pink tongue darted out to wet her lips. "That – that is just lust Kíli, and I am not that kind of maid. Kissing is a bad idea."

"But you want me to kiss you," Kíli whispered in her ear, feeling her shiver against him. "Please."

"Kíli, Rylee, dinner's ready!" Fíli's voice rang out from the edge of the clearing. Kíli growled in frustration.

Rylee moved to step away, but Kíli pulled her back, he desperately wanted her. He nuzzled into her neck, kissing her throat and the soft place behind her ear. Kíli whispered softly, "Please, Rylee."

"Kíli!" Fíli called again, Kíli didn't answer he waited for Rylee to respond to him. She turned a fraction closer, then suddenly her hand went up, catching something that was about to hit his face. He looked at her, and then he looked at the object in her hand, a pan biscuit. He was going to kill his brother.

"Apparently he means business. Come along, Kíli," Rylee said softly a smile gracing her lips, she pushed the biscuit into his mouth as he was about to protest. Then with a chuckle she moved to pick up the arrows, she heard the whistle of the rock before it whipped by and she caught it in her hand. She whirled and looked at Kíli's older brother, "Fíli, do not throw things at me unless you want me to throw it back!"

Kíli watched his older brother meet her furious gaze, Rylee held the rock threateningly in her hand. Fíli, seeing the danger turned to start to run back to camp as Rylee whipped the rock at him, hitting him hard in the right butt cheek. "Ouch! That hurt you little wench!"

"You deserved it, Fíli!" Rylee yelled back, she turned towards the arrows.

Kíli started to laugh around the bite of biscuit in his mouth. "Nice shot! Did that veer to the right of the target as well?"

"Nay, Kíli," Rylee rolled her eyes at her would-be seducer, "I only ever miss with an arrow."

"That just means you need more practice Rylee," Kíli teased her as he followed her back to camp chewing on the last bite of his biscuit. Grabbing a bowl that Bofur was handing to him he sat beside Fíli. Rylee sat with Thorin as she usually did.

"Ori?" Bilbo asked suddenly, the scribe perked up the moment he heard his name, his eyebrows shooting into his hairline. He turned to the curious Hobbit, "What is this story of the Mithril Queen you keep speaking of? It is not one I have heard before."

"You mean you don't know?" Ori asked with more than a little shock, then he looked at the Hobbit again in realization, "but of course not! You are not a dwarf, it is a Dwarven tale."

"Please do tell, Ori, I would like to hear it, too. It is an old legend, yes?" Rylee inquired softly. Thorin watched her speculatively. Rylee avoided contact with others. She was worse than Dwalin in that respect. When she did talk to the others, it was usually one on one and she did it on her own terms. Mikhaul brought her cheeky side to the surface earlier that day by launching her into the slough. The horse had a great time telling the tale and the entire company laughed. It was fascinating to watch Kíli bring her out of her shell. Even Fíli was beginning to draw her out, with his baiting and teasing, and rock throwing.

"Aye? You don't know it?" Dori responded this time, he looked at the lass with blatant curiosity shining in his eyes. "It dates back to the First Age. It is one of the greatest tales of love."

"You mean the age that I just came from a couple weeks ago?" Rylee reminded them all, her voice was quiet and yet it carried through the camp. Though they finally accepted the fact that she was from the First Age, and that she was the daughter of Aulë, they definitely did not believe her a Dragon Slayer. Instead they all seemed to think she was this Mithril Queen. "I want to know the story so I can figure out if it is based on something that actually happened or some drunken Dwarf's fantasy."

"Oh, right," Ori said as he realized that she would not know any of their stories or legends. "Well, the Mithril Queen was the Daughter of Mahal. She was a mysterious woman who looked to be a dwarrowdam in every way except for her lack of a beard. She arrived in the late days of the First Age, escorted by a spirit from Aman, introducing herself to the Eldars and the Seven. She was so beautiful to men from every race that she had many offers of courtship, but she had eyes for only one. Upon meeting the Emissaries of the seven Dwarf Clans, Mahalul fell hopelessly in love with Durin. He returned her affection and they were soon to be married. As traditions hold it was to be a yearlong courtship, while Durin created a home for them in the mines of Khazad Dum. She was to wear the colors of Durin, her robes were nearly complete when the dragons attacked. She was lost in the battle and not seen for many years."

"When she finally returned, the world was changed and her dreams were shattered once she learned that her beloved Durin was married to someone else. During her long absence, Durin found his One and married her, thinking that Mahalul was dead. The legend says that Mahalul became extremely jealous and tried to pull the couple apart. She and Durin's One had a horrible spat and Mahalul promised death to the other woman. She tried to seduce Durin back to her, but nothing could separate the Durin king and his One. Mahalul was disconsolate, her sorrows and grief wore on her heart and her spirit. When the dragons attacked again, the Mahal Daughter threw herself into battle and was once again lost." Ori went on with his tale. Kíli looked at Rylee, who was looking at the young dwarf with amusement on her face. Totally the opposite emotion that such a tragic story would call for.

"Again many years passed, so many in fact that when Mahalul arrived before the Council of Eldars Durin and his One had three boy children to carry on their line. This time things were changed, while she still loved the Durin king, an Elven lord fell in love with her. Mahalul did not want to come between the Durin King and his wife, so to keep the peace between the races it was decided that she be crowned by both lines, and marry the Elf. After her coronation, the newly made queen kept her vows and prepared for her wedding. They were still at war with the accursed dragons, so their nuptials were continuously postponed, until one day there was a direct attack by the dragons. Durin and the Elf-lord went off to fight the dragon, leaving Mahalul behind to protect Durin's One and their three boy children. The Elven Lord forbade her to go after the dragon for fear that she would once again be lost to the dragon.

What they could not have known was that while the warriors were out fighting the great black beast, a horde of smaller fire drakes attacked the palace. Out of devotion for Durin, the Queen donned her Mithril Armor and rode into battle to face the dragon horde alone. She fought fiercely to protect Eridith and her boys, killing every one of the dragons before sacrificing herself to a fiery death in order to protect Durin's One. When the warriors returned, the kingdom mourned the passing of the Mithril Queen and built a statue in her honor in Ered Luin. The Elven Lord left for the Undying Lands so he could give in to the fade, and Durin and his One honored the Mithril Queen with another statue in the Hall of Kings in Khazad Dum." Ori finished the tale with great flourish. "To this day maids desire to be as pure and devoted and strong as The Mithril Queen, and Dwarves covet to have a dwarrowdam so beautiful and fierce. They vow that if they had such a gem they would keep her safe as the Elven Lord never did."

Rylee snorted in amusement. Though it was a sad ballad it was an untrue one, she could not help but feel amused by it. She shook her head and chuckled softly. "Oi, Gandalf, a slight exaggeration indeed! This is the work of that cheeky Durin. Leave it to him to twist things all out of proportion just for a good tale."

"How is it different Rylee?" Bilbo asked wanting to hear her side of the story. "It sounds similar to the story you told that first night, so how is it that this tale is of you but not of you?"

"You ask the right questions, Bilbo," Rylee smiled softly at the curious Hobbit. "First off, Durin, though very handsome, was not my type at all whatsoever. Lusty male he was. In fact, he was the one chasing me, not the other way around. I had to turn him down numerous times, and still he did not relent. He was supposedly heartbroken when I told him I was going to help find and kill Glaurung. He was an incredible Dwarf and an even better friend. He absolutely loved telling tales about me and my adventures. Such as his tale of me and the ice dragons we found in the ruins of Nargothrond. He told a company of dwarves that I shot beams of death out of my eyes and beheaded the beasts. The worst part is that half of those drunken fools believed him! His tale about Fleetfoot Took and the Werewolf was just as bad if not worse, taking credit where none was his to take. He was all cheek that one! I wear his bead, this one here is his."

Kíli looked at the dark blue bead that was woven into a braid of friendship. It hung just beside another friendship braid with a red bead of the Blacklocks. She looked thoughtful for a moment before chuckling again, shaking it off she continued, "When I came back years later, Durin had found his One. Eridith, wonderful woman she was, I absolutely adored her! Such mirth and gaiety you will never find in another dwarrowdam. The red one beside Durin's is her bead. I was her handmaiden at their wedding ceremony. Lucky for me, she was the only one Durin had eyes for. The only problem was that Durin decided that love was the most beautiful thing and tried setting me up with every one of his friends. All of whom I had to politely decline, which made my second quest that much more difficult to complete, since they all felt that it was their honor-bound duty to protect me. It did not matter that I was rarely even in the Pavilion, I was too busy trying to kill dragons."

"The third time I returned, Durin and I fought many drakes side by side before I ran into battle against Ancalagon. Durin stayed behind to protect his beloved, they must have both survived otherwise there would be no tale to tell. However they had four children, their eldest daughter was Kaia, she was my handmaiden, a healer by trade and deadly with a pair of daggers. It was she who disappeared in the battle of dragons at Grace Gardens. As for the Elf, he could not have loved me as much as the tale tells because he is married and still very much alive," Rylee sighed as she thought of the end of the tale. As handsome as the Elf was, Thranduil didn't care for Rylee, nor did he even bother getting to know her. She didn't even want to think about what his father stole from her. She continued her version, trying to keep her tone light, and failing miserably. "The only rage I have is directed at Morgoth and his despicable creations. I don't think I have ever been jealous, and I certainly never found my One."

"How do you know?" Bilbo asked softly with a note of confusion in his voice, "How do you know that you did not find your One?"

"Oh Bilbo, every Dwarf knows when they find their One," Rylee smirked thinking about what Mahal told her, "They are inexplicably drawn to their soul mate. There is a singular attraction, they want to spend every waking moment in their presence, the chance of a touch or a glance thrills them. A dwarf in love will look upon their One with eyes of adoration and hunger. Their heartbeats become fast, breath becomes short, and knees become weak. A dwarf will only ever desire their one true soul mate, and if they cannot have their One they will pine for that love until the end of their days."

"So if Durin were your One you would pine for him?" Bilbo inquired, intrigued by these odd Dwarven intricacies.

"Me? No, Bilbo," Rylee shook her head sadly, "Because I am the Daughter of Aulë, I would not pine, I would fade."

"Fade? Like an Elf?" Bilbo asked his light brown eyebrows arched in surprise. Rylee nodded with a small sad smile, "You would die from a broken heart."

There was a long silence as everyone took in that news. Thorin and Gandalf were not surprised, of course, but Fíli and Kíli were disturbed by this. Fíli because he knew Rylee was already falling, it was clear as day. Everything she described was the way she reacted to Kíli. The fact that she was fighting it could not be good for her. Kíli was upset by this because he knew he liked her, he knew that she liked him, but if she fell for him and he broke it off, he could destroy her. It was no longer a matter of courting and getting to know her. This was serious.

"So the story of the Mithril Queen is a complete fallacy?" Ori asked looking a little morose.

"It is not a true tale, but it is a Durin Tale and that alone makes it an excellent ballad of Dwarven Love. You must understand that Durin loved to turn a good story into an even better one. He was one who liked to embellish his tales to make them memorable." Rylee smiled gently, "Enjoy it for what it is, Ori, a tale told by Durin himself about love and devotion and strength. It needs not mean anything more."

"Why would he leave out his daughter, do you think?" Nori asked quietly from the far side of the fire.

"Grief. When she disappeared, they were heartbroken. Kaia was their pride and joy. Do not get me wrong, they loved the boys, but Kaia was extraordinary, stunningly beautiful, with long straight black hair and her eyes, like emerald and gold mixed together. Suitors gathered for miles, offering jewels for her dowry, stunning jewels to match her bright eyes." Rylee whispered, her voice was choked with emotion, and her face was filled with adoration, unmasked and honest. "So much so that Durin and Eridith begged me to give her my name so that Durin would no longer be pressured into arranging a marriage for her, as they were wont to do in those days. He wanted her to find her One as he and Eridith did so Kaia Daughter of Durin became Kaia Emitheral."

"You cared for the lass, I take it?" Nori looked at her, watching her carefully.

"I have never met someone who cared more for others than she did. She would have sacrificed herself a thousand times for everyone else before taking something for herself. She helped me survive life at the Eldar Pavilion and helped me avoid marriage to a certain elf for four years," Rylee smiled at the memory of her friend. "Aye, I cared for her, very much."


	10. Hunting for Stag

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either. I own only my OC's.**

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Chapter 10

Hunting for Stag

May 12

They were two weeks into the journey and just when Kíli thought that he would never get a chance to be alone with her, his luck changed. Upon an order to go hunting by his uncle Thorin, Kíli and Rylee were sent out hunting. Much to Kíli's chagrin, she protested loudly before they left.

"You want me to take him hunting? Are you kidding me?" Rylee looked up at Thorin from the buckle she just secured on Mikhaul.

Thorin looked at her with a hard glare. For days, she went off searching for the elusive beast that was hunting them, staying just at the periphery of her senses, and every day she returned perturbed and upset because it was still out there. He wanted someone with her if she met up with it and who better than her One? "That is a direct order Rylee, you will take Kíli with you or you will stay with the company."

"This is a horrible idea, Ugshar!" Rylee said hotly, following Thorin around the camp. "Mikhaul can take Fíli and Kíli, I can just stay with the Company. You know what happens when I go hunting!"

"Mikhaul will not take anyone without you, and you know it," Thorin growled at her, "Kíli is going with you and that is that, Rylee."

"But -!" Rylee stopped short watching incredulously as her mentor saddled his own mount. She was absolutely appalled at his unwillingness to see reason.

"No more arguments, Rylee! Get on that horse and go with Kíli," Thorin ordered her.

"Fine, he can come with me, but he had better stay out of my way," Rylee growled lowly, making sure her voice didn't carry any further than Thorin's ears. "There is something big out there, and if I am right -"

"You have been saying that for days and naught has come of it," Thorin shook his head and rolled his eyes in annoyance. "You have not seen an Orc or Warg in days, and every day you come back empty handed. If you are going hunting, you may as well take Kíli and actually bring back some meat. We are running low on supplies as it is."

"Have you ever wondered why game has been so scarce lately Ugshar? Why the Orcs and the Wargs keep their distance lately?" Rylee put her hand on his as he tightened the girth strap on his saddle. "I have been feeling a familiar presence for days, I am not entirely sure what it is, but my suspicion is that it is terrible enough to keep other dark things at bay."

"What do you mean?" Thorin shot her a dark look, his suspicions heightened.

"You do recall what it is I hunt, do you not, Thorin?" Rylee told him quietly, this was between the two of them. She didn't want to risk Kíli if she didn't have to. "I mean a drake."

"That is not hunting! It is suicide!" Thorin roared in shock, he could not believe what he was hearing. When she said they were being tracked by something big, he thought perhaps it was a werewolf, not this! The company was being tracked by a drake? A dragon was after them when they were ultimately after a dragon? It was just too absurd to even fathom.

"It has been skirting us for over a week!" Rylee shot back, her tone was menacing, and it caused a shiver to run over Thorin's spine. "I know you don't like it Thorin, but ever since I met Ungoliant the beasts of Morgoth are attracted to me. Either I hunt it or it hunts me, either way I will be fighting it."

"It greatly bothers me when you start making sense, Rylee," Thorin scowled at her, she was a War Maiden of the Valar, and he had to stop trying to hold her back. He still wanted Kíli to go with her, if he was right, Rylee was Kíli's One, and he would do anything and everything to keep Rylee safe. "Take Kíli with you, if only to ease my mind. Go on, then, they are waiting!"

Rylee was seething and frustrated. She didn't want to take Kíli anywhere with her, she was trying to avoid him. She stalked off towards Mikhaul and Kíli brought over his packs and weapons, looking none too happy at her obvious annoyance at his presence. She helped him strap everything onto the back of Mikhaul and then swung herself into the saddle. Rylee offered her hand to help him into the saddle behind her. He settled himself against her and she inwardly flinched at the intimate contact.

"You have not truly forgiven me have you?" Kíli said softly as Mikhaul jumped into a quick trot.

"I said I forgave you Kíli, I meant it," Rylee said in frustration, holding on to the great mare with her knees. Kíli's hands were on her hips, and she could feel the contact through her clothes and armor as though she was being seared with a brand. "I am hunting, which is not the same as when you hunt. I do not want to put you or anyone else in danger."

"I am sure I can handle anything that we find Rylee," Kíli assured her, he was ever confident, and she knew that he would have his usual cocky surety on his face. A small mischievous smirk playing about his mouth and a twinkle in his chocolate eyes, she didn't even need to turn to see it, she could hear it in his voice.

"Just promise that you will follow my orders if we find one of Morgoth's creatures." Rylee pleaded as she turned to look at him over her shoulder. She was not wrong, his confidence was written on his face and the twinkle in his eye spoke of his surety and bravery. She just hoped she was right and it was a drake and not something much, much darker.

Kíli was stunned. The look on her face told him that she was dead serious. Rylee fully expected to battle a monster. The thought unsettled Kíli for a moment, but it was just for a moment. This was the chance Mikhaul kept talking about, the chance to prove himself to Rylee, the opportunity to gain her favor. "I swear it, Rylee. If we meet one of Morgoth's creatures I will do whatever you say."

"Good, because I do not want to explain your death to your brother and uncle if you do not," Rylee nodded once and turned back to face forward.

With that Mikhaul broke into a run and they left the company far behind. Rylee and Mikhaul only talked on occasion to discuss the direction of the presence that they felt in the shadows. This was how Kíli came to be riding behind Rylee on Mikhaul's back. They were galloping at great speeds across the plains and into the thick forests that seemed perfect for game hunting. Neither Rylee nor Mikhaul found it important to stop for game; they were on the hunt for something much larger. It took mere hours for Mikhaul to cover ground that would take the other ponies the whole day to cover.

"If we had sixteen more ponies like Mikhaul we would be in Erebor already," Kíli said in admiration.

Mikhaul pranced at the compliment, tossing her head and trumpetting in glee. Rylee laughed as they raced along, "She is remarkable isn't she?"

Kíli was both reveling in and in agony over the constant contact with Rylee. He was so aroused it hurt, and yet he did not want to let go of her waist, as he rode behind her in the saddle. Already his hands were moving of their own accord, brushing against her hips, settling on her thighs, back to her waist. Mikhaul jerked suddenly once and his hands spanned over her lower tummy making Rylee gasp and her back arch. He got a face full of her glorious hair and an admonishment, "You do that again Kíli and we will fall off Mikhaul's back!"

His hands were driving her to distraction. They were everywhere! She was burning all over, all she needed was a spark and she would be up in flames. It was only made worse when Mikhaul sidled left and his hands brushed against her belly, even through all the layers she could feel the friction and the heat between them. She nearly fell off Mikhaul right then and there.

"Kíli, if you don't stop whatever you are doing to Rylee I am going to kick you when we reach the forest," Mikhaul's voice whispered into his mind. "She has been digging her heels into my ribs for the past twenty minutes."

So he was not the only one affected by their proximity, that was good, but knowing that Rylee was affected only made it worse. Thankfully it was not much later that Mikhaul stopped, and they were able to dismount. Kíli didn't wait for her before he stalked off into the forest, cursing about pain and control. It took every bit of his control not to haul her against the nearest tree and maul her. She was all he could think of, his lust for her was driving him out of his mind. He was nearly past the point of insanity. He just needed some space to clear his mind and get his body back under control.

It was not yet midday when Rylee pulled their gear off of Mikhaul and made a base camp for them. Just before she went after Kíli, Mikhaul told her that she would be back later that day. Eru needed her for some matter. Rylee wished her well and then turned into the forest to find Kíli. The odd lingering feeling of familiarity washed over her again as she sensed the darkness close by. Her instincts were dead on. It was closing in on them, and Kíli was out in that forest alone.

She had to go after him. She could not allow Kíli to face this beast alone. She checked some markings on a few of the low-lying bushes. There was a deer nearby, Kíli would be scouting it, and Thorin didn't tell him what they were actually hunting. Damn it! At least she had given him some warning. She walked right past him, perfectly silent in the brush. She knew he was there, but her focus was on the presence in front of her and not on the Dwarf beside her.

He was about to tell her where he was when she turned, met his eyes and held her finger to her lips. Then stealthily as a cat she moved forward through the trees. He followed on her heels making as little noise as he could behind her. She was tracking something, a relatively large animal from the markings that she was checking out. Finally, she stopped and looked back at him, "Did Thorin tell you what we are hunting?"

"No, he just told me that Bombur needs fresh meat, I told him we would bring back a stag," Kíli whispered softly.

"Well if we are lucky, we will both bag our game today, Kíli," Rylee whispered softly, her voice barely even registered, "I am hunting something much, much bigger."

On the move again they worked their way deeper into the forest. Even in daylight the thick branches above them shut out the majority of light, dappling the forest floor with shadow. Still Rylee was able to follow the trail of her game. She was good, almost as good as he and Fíli, she stopped twice looking at the markings before he pointed out the direction and they continued on. She followed behind him for awhile, until Kíli motioned for her to stop.

There it was, a massive stag in the forest, tall at least eighteen hands, and it had no less than six points on its massive antlers. It would do the company several days for food. Kíli gave Rylee his bow and arrow since she did not bring hers. She shook her head adamantly, not wanting to risk missing the shot. He was insistent if she missed they would find another deer, she needed to at least try. Finally, she took it and took her stance and drew back on the bow, she stopped, perfectly still and lowered the weapon a fraction of an inch.

Kíli wondered what in Mahal's name she was doing, he grabbed her shoulder and she pointed to an enormous mass that was towering just over the tree line on the far side of the deer. Kíli blinked trying to see what she was looking at when all of a sudden the mass moved, quick as a cat, it leapt for the deer. Rylee aimed at the deer and took her shot, the arrow swerved right and the whistle of the turning arrow alerted the stag to danger. The buck took off at a dead run, just barely escaping the massive jaws of a hulking long-tailed wyvern. The arrow struck smartly on the dragon's snout and fell harmlessly to the ground. The bright, sharp silvery teeth snapped shut at the miss and the creature hissed in anger.

Kíli blinked, Rylee alerted the deer on purpose, knowing her arrow would turn away from the deer. Kíli moved to draw his sword, prepared to fight their way out of the forest when Rylee stopped his hand. She pulled out her axes and handed them to him, mouthing the words, blood mithril. She then unclipped her whip and let it slowly uncoil around her. Her other hand reached for her long dagger on her spine. There was a spark in her eyes, a hunger, she looked ready to pounce. She motioned that she was going to skirt the clearing to the opposite side and took off on nearly silent feet.

"I smell dwarf," The dragon spoke in a soft, low, hypnotic voice, Kíli could see its mouth moving. It was a voice meant to lull their prey into a stupor or to give up the fight. After all the tales of dragons he heard in his youth, Kíli knew he had to remain strong and fight the seduction of that voice.

The dragon turned a flaring red eye in their direction, looking directly at Kíli. It was a massive silver thing, standing easily as tall as the trees, its long silvery tail whipping back and forth, destroying trees with every lashing swipe. The thick silver scales covered him. Face, feet, back, and tail. The only soft area was a bright blue leathery underbelly that he kept protected close to the ground. It had a long jaw, and spines along its nose across its broad cheekbones and up over the massive burning red eyes. The spines joined above the eyes to create an enormous comb that ran down its neck and along its shoulders before receding slowly into nothingness.

"What is your name, Dwarf?" The massive creature asked Kíli, his voice sliding silkily through the trees, "What should I call you?"

"I am called Master Archer," Kíli said softly feeling compelled to answer but knowing from all of his dragon lore that he should never give a dragon a straight answer. "I am called Scout."

"Was it you who made the arrow turn?" The dragon asked with no small amount of intrigue, "It is a neat trick, I will give you that. Not remotely interesting enough to let you live. You carry gold and precious things, pitiful, not enough gold to bother. I have a great hoard to the north in the grey mountains, so great that all lesser worms desire it."

"If I may be so bold as to ask," Kíli spoke slowly as he watched Rylee move through the trees. He was trying to buy her time so he continued, "If it is so great a hoard why did you leave it?"

"I search for someone," The massive beast followed Kíli with his great red eyes, his nostrils flared as he took in his scent. "You smell like the one that I hunt, and yet different. You are vaguely familiar. Yes, I remember this scent, I remember this taste."

"That is impossible," Kíli shook his head, feeling no small amount of fear. He was shaking in his boots and yet he had to keep the dragon preoccupied until Rylee reappeared. "I have never met you before."

"Of course you have not. No dwarf has stood against Esgaud and survived," The dragon taunted him out loud, he could see his lips and face moving with the words. Kíli shook his head as he also heard thoughts in his mind, much like Mikhaul's, but these were telling him to give in, to give up and to disarm peacefully. Mikhaul's voice was bright, cheerful and joyous. This beast's voice gave Kíli the shivers; it was cold, dark, and angry. It filled his mind, telling him to succumb to death. Kíli scoffed, there was no way he was giving up, what did this beast take him for, weak? "I am Killer of Durin Sons, Destroyer of Dwarves. You smell of the Durins folk, I have met your kind before, weak dwarves the lot of them. What were their names? Their names... ah yes, Dain and Fror, I tasted them and I took their mountain, driving the others out."

Kíli could not believe it. This was the beast that killed his ancestors, Dain I and his son Fror. His great grandfather Thror's brother and father died in an attack by a cold drake! This beast was that very drake! This monster, Esgaud was the reason Thror moved his people back to Erebor. Rage filled Kíli and he had to hold himself back from charging in against it. He wanted to avenge his ancestors, for Thorin's sake, for his mother's sake. But he was not strong enough to kill a dragon alone and he promised Rylee that he would follow her orders, so he held still and waited for her direction.

"It is a pity that you are not the one I seek," the dragon taunted Kíli trying to draw him out of the trees. "You are too small for dinner, but I will kill you nonetheless. The only good dwarf is a dead one."

"You may stop with the mind games gozig'kall," Rylee said, her tone was bored, sardonic and highly disrespectful. She was standing on the opposite side of the dragon. Kíli's eyes widened, she was taunting the dragon? It was a fool's errand to taunt a live dragon, everyone knew this, and yet Rylee continued to speak, "Neither of us is susceptible to your powers of persuasion."

"Treasures. You smell different, you smell like treasure, like gold, like dragon, and like wolf," Esgaud turned its head to look at Rylee, to get a better sniff at her. "You smell like fire."

"You like the way I smell, don't you gozig'kall?" Rylee asked. Her voice rang with power, she sounded almost seductive to Kíli's ears, rivaling the dragon's power over mind and sound. "I smell like power. All dragons, even cold ones like you, like power."

"I don't like that you smell like that dwarf," Esgaud sulked, no longer able to play his game with Kíli, he was evidently becoming agitated. "You should be with someone stronger, Little Power. Little Firebrand."

"So you know my name Esgaud," Rylee scoffed devaluing his knowledge. She tried to shake the feeling that she knew this dragon, that she faced him before. How, when, where? She didn't understand. It was not like her to ever forget a dragon. She could remember every battle, from her first all the way to her last against Ancalagon. Red eyes, she could see it in the red eyes. She knew this dragon, but how? Silver and blue flashed bitterly in her mind, followed by a flash of green and gold. Shaking it off Rylee focused on the battle at hand, "My reputation precedes me."

"You have been missing from the world for a long time, Firebrand. You nearly wiped out my kind." The dragon told her darkly. Kíli wondered what the banter was about. Rylee signed in Iglishmek, "The long tail will attack very soon. On my command we go for the forelegs, you go to the right, I take the left." Kíli nodded imperceptibly. "I remember you. They called you by many names, Dragons Bane, Firebrand, Rúnyatári, and Rylee Emitheral."

"How do you know me?" Rylee said, again fighting this feeling of knowledge, of acquaintanceship. How could she possibly know this beast? She felt dizzy and she wondered if somehow her ability to block the glamour of dragons was failing. That was impossible. Green, gold, blue, silver, red eyes, the images swirled in her mind making her nauseous. Something was horribly wrong.

"Don't you remember, Rúnyatári? My brother and I lived in a great hoard. He was of fire and I am of ice. You and Fram came to take our hoard from us." The silver dragon with the blue belly growled lowly, his red eyes flashing with hostility.

"I don't know anyone named Fram," Rylee whispered feeling sick to her stomach, her mind whirling with images swirling. This was not normal, she needed to shake this off, whatever it was. "I don't know you. I don't know your brother."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, Rylee Emitheral. What did the White One do to you?" Esgaud teased her darkly. Rylee could feel him pounding against the barrier in her mind, the one that protected her from his glamour. It was intact. Whatever was upsetting her was not based on dragon magic. This was something else. "How is it possible that you would not recall Scatha?"

"Scatha!" Kíli gasped in recognition of the name. Scatha was a dragon killed in the year two thousand, nearly nine and a half centuries ago. Rylee was there? How was that possible? He looked at Rylee and he was shocked. She looked ill like something was profoundly wrong. She was leaning against a tree, sucking in deep breaths. Her usually pale face was ghostly white.

"Who is Scatha?" Rylee whispered as she braced herself on the tree. Green and gold, jewel bright red eyes, fire and sparks came from nose and mouth. Familiar and yet she did not remember. "Who is the White One?"

"I remember it clearly Firebrand," Esgaud was creeping forward, slowly but surely, closer and closer to his prey. "My brother and I were merely protecting our hoard. You and that Fram attacked us. My brother used his magic on Fram, he could manipulate the human. Scatha could not manipulate you, and you killed him, but not before you fell. The White One did something to you, right before you vanished."

The flash of a face, gold and green, a man, red eyes, someone wearing white, silver and blue. The images danced before her eyes. Rylee fought against the pictures in her mind, she needed clarity. She needed to shake this off. Knowing full well that she could not fight this dragon in her current condition and she needed to protect Kíli. She took a deep breath and forced herself to clear her mind. Pushing the odd images away Rylee envisioned her flame, she thought about Mahal and about the company and the Dwarf she was trying to protect. Everything that she could use to bring her to focus she used it. Looking across the clearing to Kíli, she met his eyes and pushed away from the tree, feeling strong again.

"So how many are left of your kind, vile worm? How many gozig'kall are there left in the world?" Rylee taunted the beast, allowing the power in her voice to rise once again. "Once I kill you there will be one less and I would like to share the news of your fall with your kin."

Kíli watched her with an edge of fear and horror. She was baiting this beast on purpose. He could see the beast beginning to coil in rage, ready to attack.

"I am the last of the wyverns," Esgaud coiled, its muscles flexed and tensed visibly. Its long tail began twitching, then swinging and sweeping ferociously back and forth, crushing trees with each wide swing. "You killed my brother. You killed Scatha, for that I will destroy you."

"You are a liar, Esgaud," Rylee taunted in return, there was a sardonic lilt to her voice and she stepped out from behind the trees, closing the space between herself and the dragon. "I know for a fact that there are others, many that are smaller than you. I have heard a legend of one more powerful than you, one that keeps a watch over a gold horde in a very lonely place."

Esgaud's nostrils flared in rage, the audacity and daring of the little creature before him, did she have no respect for those stronger than she? She was little more than a child! He was supposed to bring her to the dark master, but Esgaud wanted her dead. He sneered at her, "There is one great Fire Drake far to the east. You will never reach him for you will die this night."

"That is where you are wrong, lizard, Smaug is next!" Rylee growled lowly, her whip cocked in readiness, she said evenly, "Now Scout!"

Kíli blinked for a moment as he realized that Rylee used one of the names that he gave the dragon to ensure that it could not use Kíli's name to overpower him. She sprang forward as he did, together they attacked. She lashed her whip at the left foreleg as Kíli sprang for the right. Rylee released the blades and pulled as hard as she could and her whip began to dig into the scaled flesh of the beast. The bladed whip had cut deeply into the thick muscles of the left foreleg before it unwound and the whip fell loose. It was a deep wound and the Dragon screamed in pain and flailed upwards, but not before Kíli planted both of the Mithril axes into the ankle of the right forefoot, completely severing the great silver paw.

"Use the axes to climb!" Rylee ordered, her voice was commanding, "Take his head from the top!"

She lashed her whip again as the dragon thrashed in agony, Kíli watched in awe for a moment as Rylee kept the beast distracted. Then he did as she commanded and swung the axe into the monsters hanging forearm. Arm over arm, Kíli used the axes to pull himself up the side of the dragon while Rylee kept the screaming beast busy below.

Rylee lashed out with her whip trying to keep the beast contained, and still enough that Kíli could climb. She purposely cut long lashes into the thick muscles of the dragon's throat, weakening the skin. Esgaud snapped at her, so she rolled under his heavy jaw and drove her dagger into the loose flesh under its angry maw. He roared in rage.

She rolled back out from under his head and backed away, flicking her wrist and once again striking it in the face. The beast turned his head to nip at Kíli, who was nearing the bony area of the Dragon's shoulder. The blooded axes digging deep into the flesh with each swing and pull as he lifted himself ever higher. Rylee taunted Esgaud, "Come on you stupid, vile beast! You can do better than that!"

"Where is your spark little firebrand?" Her whip dug deep into his face as he swung back to face her, the tail end snapping right into the pupil of his bright ice blue eye. He screamed in pain and lunged forward, snapping ferociously at Rylee. Kíli did everything that he could just to hang on so he could continue to climb.

"What spark is that, Esgaud? Killer of Durin Sons, Destroyer of Dwarves," Rylee said repeating the words she heard earlier. She was no longer certain that she didn't know this beast, he was too familiar a presence to deny the possibility. But she was certain that she did not know who Dain or Fror were, but she saw Kíli's face when the dragon taunted Kíli earlier. She knew that he was enraged by what he heard, which meant that they were ancestors of some sort. Rylee vowed that she would help Kíli avenge their deaths.

Suddenly the beast's chest flared and a freezing cold fog erupted from its mouth pouring around Rylee who still stood just before him. Kíli watched in horror as everything around them became coated in glistening ice before it cracked and died, turning black. Strangely Rylee began to smile, even as her leather solidified, her hair turned white and her eyelashes grew icy. She grinned dark and feral, looking up at the dragon with pure hostility. Esgaud looked down at her with superiority, "Feel the power of the North Rylee Emitheral, how do you like being frozen?"

"You should know better than to play with fire, Drake," Rylee said in rage as Esgaud once again turned to snap his teeth at Kíli. Rylee ignited the sparks that lived under her skin, and then she allowed herself to burn. The beast swung back in surprise to see the girl on fire and the ice around her evaporating into mist. The flame trickled up her arms and over her shoulders, down her back and over her legs until she was completely enveloped in bright red flame. Then she spoke a command and her whip lit on fire. She looked up to see Kíli standing on the beast's head, looking down at her. His face was awestruck.

"It cannot be!" Esgaud roared at her as he watched the fire flare to life around her, "Scatha himself doused your flame! I saw him destroy your fire! He pulled your spark from your soul!"

"Nothing can steal my spark and no one can contain my fire! I am the Queen of Red Flame for a reason!" She began to speak in the blood magic language, Aglâbu Azrâdu'damâm, the flames rose higher around her waving hypnotically back and forth. The dragon was so caught up in her movements and her dance with her whip that he didn't notice Kíli standing high up on his neck, readying his axes. The handles of the blades in Kíli's hands vibrated with the influx of raw power, the runes began to light from within, as did the runes on Rylee's whip and dagger. Kíli's eyes were drawn to Rylee, covered in flame, her deep dark ember hair crackled with sparks and flame. Her electric eyes sparked white, and the flames clung to her petite frame like a second skin. She truly was a firebrand.

"Cut deep, Strike True," she cried to him in her impassioned language. He didn't know the words, but he understood the meaning. Kíli took it as his cue and embedded the rounded axes on either side of the dragon's neck. He felt the pulse of the magic in the blades as they sliced deep into the flesh and Kíli jumped back as the tail of Rylee's whip swung up and wrapped tight around one of the handles. She pulled hard and the axe split the flesh on one side of the dragon's throat.

Esgaud roared in rage and bucked into the air, as black blood wept from the grave wound. Rylee was launched upwards and landed hard on the dragon's snout, and Kíli slipped down the dragon's back. He grabbed tight to one of the spines on his neck and used the dagger called 'hush' to stop his free fall, embedding the blue blade into the flesh as he fell. Kíli noticed that even his blade thrummed with the life of Rylee's magic, silently shredding the flesh, digging deep into dragon flesh and bone. The dragon tried to scrabble away from its imminent death and keened at the massive laceration in its neck. Rylee was still on Esgaud's nose, she hung there for a long moment clinging to the spines as the dragon thrashed. Using his dagger as a climbing anchor Kíli crawled back up the dragon's neck toward its great head. Finally up top, he tucked the dagger back into its scabbard and prepared to help Rylee, who was on the nose of the beast.

He watched as Rylee rolled over and got her feet beneath her. Her dagger still in hand she launched herself at the dragon's eye, planting the blade deep within the black pupil of the bright red eye. The dragon screamed and thrashed as the fiery blade penetrated the soft tissue. At the same moment, Kíli leapt for the handle of the other axe, using his weight to pull the blade through the flesh. As the blade cut its path through the scaly skin of the beast, Kíli saw the handle of the other axe still stuck in the other side of the Dragon's neck. The power of Rylee's magic still emanated from the weapons as he reached for it and pulled hard on both. Tucking up and pressing his feet into the underside of the monsters neck, he pulled the blades through the muscle tissue, severing the hot arteries and veins. Finally, the monster fell in a deadened heap. Kíli pulled the axes free and rolled away just in time, screaming in rage and in retribution, "That is for killing my ancestors you worthless worm!"

He looked back at Rylee whose flame shimmering body clung to her dagger, still embedded deep within the dragon's eye. She was hanging haphazardly off of the great beast's face, the red eye bleeding white viscous fluid over her hands. She did not move for a long moment.

"Rylee!" He called to her as he approached. She rose to her feet and stumbled back as she jerked the dagger out of the dragon's eye. The flames disappeared and she started to fall. Kíli dropped the axes and ran for her, catching her before she fell to the ground, "Rylee, are you okay?"

"Aye, Kíli," Rylee whispered, she hung limply in his arms. He picked her up and carried her to a tree opposite the dragon. "Magic is exhausting. I just need rest."

"Well you cannot sleep here," Kíli said softly, caressing her face, trying to keep her awake.

"No, Kíli, this is," Rylee started. Her eyes closed for a long moment. When she opened them she continued, her voice even quieter and weaker, "the safest place. No one will approach a dragon, even a dead one. I will rest. You go hunt, find that stag."

"No, I will not leave you, Rylee." Kíli shook his head. He did not want to leave her here, with this monster's carcass. "If anything, we need to go back to the company."

"Mikhaul is gone to help Eru, we cannot leave until she returns," Rylee whispered. "Go hunting. Get the stag, by the time you get back Mikhaul will have returned. I promise I will be safe."

"No Rylee, please, let me take you to safety," Kíli stroked his fingers down her face, but she was gone. Only her steady breath assured him that she was still alive. "Please, my love, wake up. We cannot stay here."

"She will be safe, as she said," a voice said from behind him. Kíli spun, the only weapon he had left was his hunting dagger on his left hip, everything else was scattered. There was a tall man standing behind him, taller even than Gandalf, with hair the color of Rylee's, and a braid in his beard. He had an aura of greatness, his chest was bare, but he wore an Armored cloak and held a great war hammer in his hand. "You should do as she says, go hunting, and gather food for your kin. Rylee needs sleep. Do not worry young Kíli. I will stay with her until you return."

"You are Mahal!" Kíli said his eyes wide with awe. He took a breath and looked back at Rylee, "I don't like leaving her. It feels wrong."

"I promise she will be fine. Go on your hunt, return quickly." Mahal said looking down at his sleeping daughter. His pride and love for her was written in every expression as he took in her sleeping form.

Kíli did as asked, he hated doing it. Leaving her like that when she was so vulnerable, but she was with Mahal. If anyone could keep her safe it would be Mahal. It took less than an hour to find the stag, and then he had to track it silently waiting for the perfect shot. It took another hour to clean it and another to haul the carcass back to the camp Rylee made. Twilight was just settling around them as he pulled the meat into camp for curing. He found it surreal that he and Rylee took on a dragon in the middle of the day, and still there was time enough left to hunt and carry out a stag.

When he arrived, he found Rylee sleeping in her bedroll and Mahal sitting beside a roaring fire. Their weapons were gathered together and a smoke tent was already set up over a small coal pit with fragrant branches and herbs smoldering gently on a rack within. All that was missing was the stag. Mahal looked at him appraisingly and Kíli found himself unsure under such a dark gaze. "You are a skilled warrior. You might be a match in strength for my daughter. The real question is if you are the one who can give life to her fire."

"Rylee is fire," Kíli said in confusion, looking up at the very maker of his people.

"Aye, she is, but she is more. Her power has been subdued by the wills of those who covet it. When her heart is pure, her fire is pure as well," Mahal said softly, he looked at Rylee and Kíli could see the love and affection that he held for her. "She is a soft soul, but a bright one, one who can bring great joy and light to those around her, that is Nienna's doing. Nienna's Grace resides within her, but until that purity is restored, Rylee will remain lost. I urge you to help her find it."

"I will try, if she will let me," Kíli said honestly, looking at the Maker of Dwarves, feeling complete reverence just by being in his presence. He could not believe that the Vala was here, standing before him, much less talking to him.

"Good, that is good," Mahal smirked at his response. The glint in his eyes spoke of amusement as well as considerable knowledge. The tall Vala walked away from camp. Moving out of the small clearing and towards the thick forest, he stopped at the edge of the woods, "Oh, Kíli, tell no one that you saw me, especially not Rylee. It would only upset her that she missed a visit."

With that, Vala Aulë was gone, leaving Kíli with the question of how? How was he to help Rylee find what she was missing? What did he mean by giving life to her fire? If Rylee was fire, how could he give life to it?

He pushed the thoughts away for the moment. He had other tasks that needed to be taken care of before he could figure out the puzzles of the Maker. He would have to cook the meat himself and make food for himself and Rylee for when she woke. Thus far, she slept deeply, steadily. Kíli set himself to work, getting as much done as he possibly could. Luckily he kept supplies on him for instances like this. While hunting it was always likely to have a delay or a need to keep camp for an extra night. He started to butcher the stag and smoke the cuts that would be best smoked while he waited for Mikhaul to return, the rest he roasted over the fire once it got low enough to cook without burning.

It was late that night when Mikhaul returned, her coat glistening with sweat. Kíli took one look at the steed and knew that there was no way that they were going to be returning to the Company that night. Whatever she and Eru were doing that day, it was obviously enough to exhaust her. The mare usually had energy for days, but Mikhaul would not speak of it. She only told him that darkness was growing and Eru was concerned.

He and Mikhaul took turns keeping watch through the night. Rylee continued to sleep, dreamless and peaceful. That alone worried Kíli, it was not like Rylee to sleep for so long or so deeply. He noticed several nights ago when he was on watch that her sleep was often riddled with dreams, dreams that made her toss and turn and cry out softly in the night. Sometimes they were the names of the Company, other times they were names he never heard before. When Kíli woke at dawn and found her sleeping still, his worry grew. He checked the meat that he slow roasted and cured over the fire, then packed it away, it was nearing the noon hour and still she slept on. Kíli and Mikhaul shared a long look. They could not remain here longer. He needed to get Rylee back to Thorin and the company needed their meat.

He packed up camp leaving Rylee's bedroll for last. Everything else was already strapped to Mikhaul's back. He sat beside Rylee and put his hand on her shoulder, shaking her lightly. "Rylee, it is time to wake."

Her brow creased, and she murmured softly. Her hands caught his, pulling it to her chest. He took both of hers in his own hands. "Come on Rylee, time to get up, we need to get back to the others."

"So tired, Kíli, just a little more sleep," Rylee pleaded softly, her eyes didn't open.

"No, Rylee we need to go now." Kíli urged softly, her eyes fluttered in the bright midday light. She whimpered as she fought to open her eyes. "Tell you what, you get up now, just long enough to get on Mikhaul, and you can sleep while we ride back."

"Mmm-okay," Rylee turned over and tried to rise. She was weak, stumbling, and Kíli had to help her to Mikhaul's side. He turned and rolled up her bedroll and strapped it with everything else. Her weapons were all packed together with the rest of their belongings. She would be more comfortable if she didn't wear them today. He wrapped her thick black fur cloak around her shoulders and propped her up on Mikhaul's back and pulled himself into the saddle behind her. Once he had her settled against him, they set out.

Finally they were back on the trail, headed back to the Company. Mikhaul didn't need direction, so Kíli just held Rylee against him, making sure she didn't fall from the mare. Holding her tight against him the day before drove him to agony due to lust, today he was in agony due to her state of sheer exhaustion. He was concerned for her welfare, having never before seen her so weak and vulnerable.

"This can't be comfortable for you." She said suddenly. Kíli wasn't sure she actually spoke until he looked down at her, leaning against him, her back against his chest. Rylee turned to look up at him, eyelashes fluttering as she struggled to open them. When she finally did her stormy eyes glimmered in the daylight, her exhaustion was evident in them and it was mere seconds before she closed them once again. Then she turned into him, sitting sideways across his lap, snuggling her face into his chest and collar, "but you smell good and you are comfy for me."

Kíli chuckled softly and whispered back, "I am comfortable enough Rylee, you go ahead and sleep."

"Okay, Kíli, anything for you," Rylee said as she wrapped her arms around his waist, clinging to him. He brushed a strand of hair away from her face, and she hummed, a smile pulling up at her lips. He brushed his fingers from her brow to her cheekbone to her jaw. His thumb brushed over her bottom lip. She kissed his thumb, "you make me warm inside."

Kíli could not believe her words, his stomach clenched with emotion at her confession in a state of vulnerability. He wanted to hear more, he wanted to know, "What do you feel when I touch you, Rylee?"

He ran a hand down her back, down to her bottom to lift her higher into the saddle, closer to him. She moaned softly at the intimate contact and whispered, "Joy, pleasure, rapture, bliss."

"All of that from a single momentary touch?" Kíli asked her softly, elation filled him as he grinned at her, her sleep-induced confessions pleased him greatly. If she were more awake, he would kiss her, he wanted to feel the softness of her lips on his once again. He wanted to taste her and explore her, be the one to teach her the joys of kissing.

"Hmm, all other thoughts disappear," she confessed against his chest. Her arms clung even tighter, then she admitted, "I can think only of you, Kíli, you are entirely distracting."

She fell silent then, her breathing evened out as she fell back asleep curled tight against him, and her soft breaths warmed his collarbone. She was probably the most graceful Dwarf Kíli ever met, definitely the most sensual, and she was more distracting than any Dwarrowdam he ever had the pleasure of getting to know. If ever there was a maid he wanted to court, it would be Rylee, but it was up to her to make the next move. Mikhaul said that Rylee was afraid and had admitted to not knowing the courting customs. If that were the case, perhaps it would be acceptable to make his own rules and court her in his own way.

"I feel the same, Rylee," Kíli whispered, as he kissed the top of her head, "I feel exactly the same."

He thought about what she did the day before, fighting the dragon, luring it, seducing it towards its own demise with her fire. The immense power of her magic, how she looked covered in dark red flames, giving him enough time to get into position to kill a dragon. Her powers of seduction sparked his imagination, and he wondered if he could do that with her, seduce her into making a move. He looked down at her, her arms wrapped around him. It would be worth a shot.

They rode for hours like that, Rylee sleeping peacefully in his arms as Mikhaul took them back to wherever the others were. Kíli watched their surroundings, not realizing just how far they went the day before. Kíli knew the moment that she fell under the throes of a nightmare. She tensed against him, her arms clinging tightly, she started to shake, and her breathing became uneven as though she was trying to fight something. She began to struggle against him as she woke from whatever terrors were chasing her, until he spoke, "It's alright Rylee, just a dream. I have you. You are safe with me."

"Kíli!" Rylee gasped as she heard his voice in her ear. She struggled to get her bearings and figure out what was happening around her. It came back to her slowly a she pushed away the dreams that still clung to her exhausted mind. The fiery eye in her dreams was gone, but still she was having visions, premonitions of deaths, deaths of the company, and of herself. The image of Dori and Nori being crushed to death by a troll, and the twining bodies of two dragons were still vivid in her mind. She no longer felt like they were being followed and the darkness was greatly subdued, she gave a mental sigh of relief as she came awake.

"Just a dream Rylee, are you okay?" Kíli asked looking down at her as the emotions of fear, pain, sorrow and relief flashed across her face.

"Aye, aye, I am alright," She whispered as she met his heavenly chocolate eyes, remembered that they were riding on Mikhaul's back returning to the others. A flash of her comments earlier on horseback flashed through her mind and she blushed as she realized what she confessed to him. She hoped for a moment that it was just a dream, but the sly look on his face told her that she most definitely said those things out loud. 'Oh Mahal, what did I do?' She thought, sending her thoughts to her father, she could almost hear him laughing at her. She promised herself she would keep him at a distance and instead she was telling him things that were secret, personal. 'I am such a lovesick fool,' She thought in annoyance and turned her thoughts to the events of the previous day. She looked up at him and grinned, "You killed a dragon, Kíli."

"We killed a dragon, Rylee," Kíli chuckled softly. They avenged his ancestors and destroyed a beast that long plagued the Dwarves of the Grey Mountains. While he was proud that he had a hand in it, he could not help but feel that Rylee was the only reason they were successful. "We killed it together."

"You gave the final blow, you brought him down," Rylee protested, insistent that he take some credit for the kill. "You did really well, you should be proud!"

"I am just happy we both survived. I promised Thorin you would be safe with me," Kíli told her as she tried to sit up against him feeling her fingers dig deep into his shoulders as she moved. He pulled her back, helping her adjust upright since she seemed much more awake, holding her so she didn't fall off the great horse. "I never thought that hunting a stag would turn into killing a dragon."

Rylee started to laugh and Kíli wondered what he said that was so funny. He didn't find the humor in it whatsoever. At his questioning glance, Rylee just laughed even harder. While he enjoyed the sound of her rich laughter, he wondered if she was laughing at him or at something else. It made him feel self-conscious so he snapped at her, "It's not funny Rylee, I thought you were going to die. When you didn't wake up for a whole day, I was worried."

"I apologize, Kíli," Rylee said as she sobered up, his anger at her dampening her thoughts. "It's just your words reminded me of something that happened a long time ago."

"Why what happened?" Kíli asked he wanted to know everything about her. He wanted her to share herself with him.

"Hmm, I think I have told you enough confessions for one day, and I don't want to share with them," Rylee said indicating the group of dwarves looming before them. Recalling her confessions to him, she blushed uncomfortably from roots to toes. Did she really tell him all that? Damn, she was supposed to be pushing him away not falling even harder for him. She really was an idiot.

"Where the hell have you been? We expected you back last night." Thorin thundered at Kíli, and then he saw Rylee curled in Kíli's arms, her exhausted expression, the light dusting of ash that seemed to coat her, and a deep concern etched across his face. "What happened?"

Mikhaul answered she kept it between Gandalf, Kíli, Fíli, and Thorin, "Mahal says it was a Cold Drake. They killed it together, but Rylee used Aglâbu Azrâdu'damâm on her weapons."

Thorin's eyes met Rylee's tired ones. "I warned you what we would find if we went hunting, Thorin. I was not wrong."

Worry creased Thorin's brow, "We will talk later. We need to find a place to camp for the night. She needs proper rest, and from the looks of it, so do you, Kíli."

"Wait, Thorin, you knew that, that – Thing – was out there?" Kíli asked in shock, he realized that they couldn't tell the others about the dragon, but Rylee and Thorin knew they would find a dragon? And Thorin let them go? Was that the reason why Rylee was so against him going hunting with her because she knew she would find a dragon?

"This is what I hunt, Kíli," Rylee whispered as she leaned against him, "this is why I need trilobate arrowheads."

* * *

"It was a cold drake, Uncle, the same beast that killed Dain the First and Fror, it called itself Esgaud," Kíli told Thorin later that night once they made camp. Kíli, Fíli, and Thorin stood in a small clearing a ways away from the rest of the group along with Gandalf and Rylee. "It seemed to know Rylee. It was taunting her as though he remembered her from long ago. It acted like it was hunting her on purpose."

"How is that possible?" Thorin asked Rylee, "Is it possible the beast survived since the First Age?"

"Of course it is possible," Rylee said softly, "the beast was ancient. But I don't remember ever meeting it, and I remember every kill and every encounter with the dragons. I don't understand. For days, I have been feeling this beast following me, along with it a sense of familiarity to it. How is it possible that I have no recollection to this beast? And who is Scatha?"

"Scatha?" Thorin turned to her in surprise, "What does the golden dragon have to do with this?"

"Supposedly I killed the beast," Rylee was pacing, restless and aggravated. Green and gold flashed before her eyes, twining with silver and blue. Both beasts had red eyes. She could see the dragons, picture both in her mind, but she did not remember anything about the events the creature spoke of. "Who is Scatha? When did he die, who killed him? What happened?

"Scatha was a Long-worm, a wingless fire drake, he was killed by Fram some nine hundred forty-one years ago," Gandalf told Rylee sagely meeting her confused gaze. "He was beheaded, an exceptional feat for a mere man. There was a dispute over the dragon's hoard that led to Fram's death."

"Fram insulted the dwarves by giving them only a necklace made of Dragon Teeth," Thorin added with a look of scorn on his face. "A significant portion of that treasure was rightfully ours, stolen from our people by Scatha."

"But Esgaud said that Rylee killed Scatha, but not until after Scatha used magic on Fram," Kíli mused in bewilderment. He met Rylee's eyes and he could see that she was easily just as perplexed as he. "He said that the White One did something to her before she vanished."

Rylee looked at Gandalf again and narrowed her gaze as she recalled those words, "Who is the White One? And why do I not remember any of it?"

Gandalf stood suddenly and approached Rylee, "Let me see you, child."

"What? What is it, Gandalf?" Rylee asked looking up into the wizard's blue-grey eyes. He pressed his thumb and forefinger to her forehead and whispered in Quenya. Rylee felt a pressure on her mind and Gandalf's hand began to shake before he suddenly pulled his hand away from her as though he was being burned.

"Your mind is blocked!" Gandalf gasped stepping away, "There is powerful magic sealing your memories. I cannot unlock them."

"What do you mean? Gandalf, I need answers!" Rylee was quite upset by this news. She remembered the feeling of illness as she confronted the beast. The shifting of her memories and the flashes of images plagued her. "There is darkness growing around us, I feel it, Mikhaul feels it! I need to know what is going on! How am I supposed to complete my quest if I do not know what dangers there are awaiting us?"

He looked at her with a great amount of concern, "I can only tell you of what I know about it, I was not there for the end of Scatha. If you were there, then it was not with me as your guide."

"But you are always my guide," Rylee shook her head in frustration, "Who else would meet me in Middle-Earth that has the ear of the Valar?"

"I suggest you speak to Saruman the White," Gandalf advised her gently.

Rylee met his gaze, "This Saruman, he is the White One?"

"It is just a theory, but being the head of the White Council, he would be the best one to ask about this," Gandalf said with a short nod.

"How can I find Saruman? I am in the middle of a quest, and the effects of whatever block is on my memory nearly disabled me during battle," Rylee was seething in frustration. How could she not remember? If the dragon was telling the truth, then she was missing an entire life! She could not remember fighting Scatha! It was possible that Esgaud was lying to her, but if that was the case why did he feel so familiar? Why did she feel like she was once acquainted with his aura of darkness? At least some of what Esgaud told her was the truth, it felt true, but whom or what could have the power to block her memory? "It took a lot of energy to break free of whatever hold it had on me, in order to wield a simple weapon spell."

"Perhaps you should refrain from using your fire or magic until you figure this out," Thorin said quietly, he was speaking out of concern. He just did not want to see her get hurt. If a simple weapons spell could drive her into a dead sleep for a full day, he did not care to know what a greater spell could do to her.

"The Fire energized her, Uncle. It was the Blood Magic language that tired her." Kíli protested in defense of Rylee, who was now pointedly glaring at Thorin for even making the suggestion. "Putting power into her weapons was what tired her, but it also was what killed the dragon. I would never have been able to cut through its flesh without it."

"She is damn lucky that you were there to help her!" Thorin growled glaring back at Rylee, "Must you fight me on everything? All I am asking is that you stop using magic until you know what it is that is holding you back! Is that so much to ask?"

Gandalf huffed in frustration and walked away, headed back towards camp. Rylee watched him go before turning back to Thorin. She met his eye and snapped, "I am not going to stop using my powers just because it takes more energy than usual."

"I thought you said you accepted her blood magic," Kíli said quietly in frustration. The tension amongst them was nearly unbearable. He was uncomfortable and he could see that Fíli felt the same.

"I accept that it is part of her, in fact, I find it quite beautiful," Thorin growled angrily, how many times did he need to repeat himself? "I just don't like the fact that it takes so much from her. You saw what it did to her, the fire magic she used the other night was on a very small dagger, and you saw how tired and weak she was. She barely made it to her bedroll before she passed out. One spell against a dragon and she was defenseless for a full day! What if you were not there? What happens next?"

If someone came across her when she was weak, what harm would they do to her? If the wrong person got a hold of her and tried to abuse her powers, what would happen then? Thorin worried about this above all others. His family was prone to dragon sickness, what if he fell under the same spell as his grandfather and he tried to use Rylee? He knew that he was as much a danger to her as anyone else, yet he still wanted to protect her from others.

"What if she is weakened by it because she does not use it often enough?" Fíli suggested quietly, thoughtfully. Rylee met his eyes, thankful for a voice of reason. "She only uses it when she absolutely must. It does not sound like she has received proper training so wouldn't she get stronger the more she uses it?"

"Do you want to tempt fate lad?" Thorin hollered at him, Rylee flinched from where she stood, all these arguments and more she used the last time they argued about her use of magic. "She received training in Aman, but it seems that she has as much control over the flame during magic as she does cooking."

Rylee ran her hands down her face in frustration; it was the same old argument, over and over again. He hated it when she used too much magic, she always overtaxed herself. Rylee didn't bother telling them that the Valar only taught her how to use simple blood magic. None of them knew what her magic truly was until she was already journeying in Middle-Earth searching with Olorin for a suitable host or hostess. They found out later that it was much, much more than that, her power went beyond her blood and into her soul and her very essence. When they finally discovered what her magic consisted of, Manwë sent a message through Mikhaul to seek out Jovina. Jovina was the only person who could help teach Rylee to control the powers, and Jovina was long gone, having disappeared during the battle of Gondolin.

"Is it possible that she needs a staff like Gandalf to direct her power?" Kíli asked softly.

"That was what the Star of Ilúvatar was for," Rylee whispered, her head in her hands, "And it is lost."

"Lost or stolen?" Thorin asked her his voice was harsh, angry, she flinched visibly.

"Lost, stolen, does it really make a difference? Over six thousand years have passed since it was last in my possession. Do you really think that it will still have the power it once did?" Rylee snarled at him, she was getting really fed up with this whole conversation. "Even if it does, do you really think that the people who have it are going to give it back? They were powerful in the First Age, not even Olorin or Galadriel were able to get it back from them."

"Who stole it from you, Rylee?" Thorin asked her this time softly.

"Oropher stole it, thinking he could use it as leverage against me and gave it to his son, as my betrothal token. Thranduil refused to return it to me. He said that it was his right to carry it, as he was my betrothed." Rylee said with barely leashed rage. She closed her eyes for a moment before looking at Thorin and his nephews. "I am done with this conversation. I do not want to talk about it anymore."

"We are not done with this conversation," Thorin told her sternly. "When you were in the healing tent, when they stole it, it was because of the magic wasn't it? You overdid it and made yourself vulnerable and they took advantage, didn't they?"

"What was I supposed to do, let the Balrogs smash the citadel with everyone inside it? Thousands of children, dwarves, elves, and men, all of which were hiding from the horrors that were attacking the city. Of course, I used my magic, and I would do it again and again and again if it means saving the lives of innocent people! You think that I used my magic frivolously? That it was just for the sake of making a weapon?" Rylee turned on Thorin with a snarl and both Kíli and Fíli flinched back in near horror. They never spoke to Thorin as she was, they would never dare. "I don't know how I did it, but with my magic I was able to hold back the Balrogs and weaken them so they could be slain. When I use magic, it is for a bloody reason, Thorin!"

"Why do you think that they stole the gem, Rylee?" Thorin barked at her returning her rage, "They were trying to gain control over you, and from the sounds of it, it worked!"

"Did it Thorin? Kaia and I successfully put off the wedding for four years! I figured out the meaning to my dreams on my own, and I fulfilled my last quest, or at least the last one that I remember." Rylee was pacing. Her voice was little more than a growl as she prowled around them. Her eyes flashing and her power threading through her voice, making them all shiver, she was on a rampage now. "They thought that through the stone, they could use me and my power, but that is not how my power works! The jewel only stores and channels my energy, not my actual power! The power is from inside me, the desire and need to create must come from within me, and it cannot be forced. I am the only one who can use it. Do you want to know why? The language is my own, I created it. It cannot be taught to another, only felt. You cannot manipulate that. I know you don't like it, but I will continue to use my magic, when and how I see fit! You can either take it or leave it, but that is the way it is!"

Once again they were staring each other down, Queen evenly matched against King, standing toe to toe. If it came to blows, Fíli was not certain who would win. Neither one was willing to back down.

"Why must you be so stubborn! All I am asking of you is to not be careless! You make it sound like I want you to stop using magic! I just don't want you to use it recklessly!" Thorin hollered at her.

"Back to that again are we?" Rylee scoffed caustically, "Too reckless, to tempestuous, too impatient! I am not a child! I have been battle tested for decades. When are you going to trust me to know what I am doing!"

"When you stop acting like a child! When you start thinking strategically, as you were taught to!" Thorin yelled at her.

"I have commanded armies Thorin Oakenshield! You have never seen me in battle! You have no right! No right at all to judge me!" Rylee screamed back, her electric eyes were sparking with white fire. "I planned the attack on the Dragon! I even told Kíli what I needed him to do and I only used my magic because Kíli was there!"

"Do not tell me that you would not have used magic if Kíli were not there," Thorin said his voice dropping into a cold, threatening whisper. "You would have used your power regardless. You might have wielded a different spell, but you would have used it still."

"No, you are right, I would have," Rylee said her voice was deadly cold in response, "because it is mine to use as I see fit. Now if you don't mind, I am going to sleep so I can have yet another nightmare about the future that I am somehow supposed to change. With or without that stone, I will succeed in this quest."

Rylee turned on her heel and walked away, going back down the trail, heading back towards their camp and her bedroll. Fíli and Kíli both watched her go with troubled looks on their faces. They looked at each other and then turned to Thorin. Fíli asked quietly, "You don't think you were a little harsh on her?"

"That damn girl is going to be the death of me yet!" Thorin spat turning towards the stunned faces of Fíli and Kíli. "Never has another soul torn me apart like she does. Even at your worst, you two were never as difficult as she is."

"I take it your talk did not go very well," Balin said as he and Dwalin joined them, coming up the same path that Rylee just departed on.

"What gave it away?" Thorin growled, his bright blue eyes flashing in the low light.

Dwalin quirked a brow at him and asked, "You mean other than the screaming match between the pair of you?"

Thorin didn't answer. He was just too frustrated. Every time he thought things were going well between himself and Rylee, they would get into a spat, over her battle tactics or her magic. It was like they were rehashing the same fight over and over again.

Dwalin smirked and continued as though Thorin's response was inconsequential, "Nothing really. Rylee said something about stuffing dragons' teeth where the sun don't shine and seeing how long it would take before you actually gave a shit."

"Son of a Goblin sucking Orc!" Thorin swore vehemently, as Fíli and Kíli shared a look of surprise. It took a lot to get their uncle to swear, they both knew that a person had to push just the right buttons and Rylee seemed exceptionally adept at it. "She pushes every boundary, breaks every rule. Ever since that first bloody hunt she has been out of control."

Kíli looked up sharply, watching his uncle with open curiosity. Her first hunt? The one where she got the scars?

"She used to be such a joyful child, curious about everything. We all doted on her, me and all of the Valar," Thorin sighed in frustration as he thought back to the girl she once was. "Ever since that hunt, ever since Yavanna and Nienna had a falling out and Eru ordered them and her to sever ties, she has been relentless, reckless, and angry. I swear she enjoys defying me at every step. When will she get it through her thick head that I just want what is best for her?"

"Give the lass some time, Thorin," Balin said gravely. "It has been seven years since she was under your guidance, and she is used to being alone now. She is used to leading people."

Dwalin looked thoughtfully at Thorin, "Your relationship with her reminds me of you and your father, Thorin. She acts more like your daughter than your student."

"Aye," Balin nodded in agreement looking at Thorin with a twinkle in his eyes. "Mother always used to say, 'the curse of Dwarflings is you always get at least one like yourself.'"

"That's great," Dwalin said sarcastically, slapping his hand hard on Thorin's shoulder, withholding a small grin. "Just what the world needs, a female version of Thorin."


	11. Silence

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either. I own only my OC's.**

**This chapter is just iddy-biddy in comparison to the others. It was originally part of the next chapter, but then the dream grew, and the fall out grew...**

**Oh! Dragons! They make things so complicated for Rylee.**

**Many thanks for the reviews Axle Beau, ****zZhell-butterflyZz and**** ro781727 your f****eedback is always greatly appreciated. The behind the scenes conversations are my favorites! :D**

**Thanks ****for the follows and favorites.**

**Love you all so much!**

Chapter 11

Silence

May 13 - 17

Was it a nightmare, or a memory? She was not sure anymore. Since confronting Esgaud her dreams were even more chaotic than ever before. Every night the same dream haunted her, it would repeat in a loop over and over again until she woke.

"Unravel the knots of Silver and Gold." She and a faceless man wearing brown leather and green wool approached the mountain together. The man ordered his men to stay back. They were not to engage the dragons. As they entered the mountain and delved deep into the treasure hoard, they came across the beasts. Rylee looked up at them. Though rather large, the matching gold and silver pair of Wyverns were not unbeatable. She had taken on much, much worse.

The man left her side to flank the gold dragon, his sword drawn. Rylee pulled out her axes and ran at the dragons, keeping their attention on her and not on her partner. The golden dragon reared back, his chest flaring red and orange as he prepared to spew fire. She took the hit of flame head on, allowing it to wash over her, burn around her and ignite her spark. "Unravel the knots of Silver and Gold." A voice whispered around her, it was a familiar voice, dark and seductive.

Fully aflame Rylee stopped in front of the beasts holding her axes up, the left in a guard and the right overhand ready to engage. Then she began to chant. It was not a song she ever remembered using before. The flames went wild around her elongating, twining together, becoming ropes of fire, both of the dragons watched her, their taunts and jeers came to an end as they watched her. She confronted the dragon alone. The man was gone. She was bitterly alone with the two metallic scaled beasts.

She wove her spells and the ropes of fire arced away from her axes and began to wrap around the dragons. Tethering them, tying them down within the burning grips of the dark red fire, she heard them screaming in surprise and in pain. While the Golden One spewed fire, the Silver One spewed ice. Dousing her with frost and snow, making her fiery ropes flicker, sizzle and spark violently. It was just enough for the Golden Beast to take command of her flaming threads through magic of its own. It pulled on the ropes of her flame, pulling so tight that Rylee felt pain as the cord of fire snapped tautly. Sucking the flames back into its lungs, Rylee released the fire in surprise letting it flicker out. The entire chamber fell into darkness.

Again the voice told her darkly, "Unravel the knots of Silver and Gold." There was a scream then, from the Golden Monster as a sword pierced through the top of its mouth. Another scream from the Silver Fiend as its brother died. A third scream filled the air. It came from behind her, startling Rylee as a terrible pain ripped through her heart. Rylee looked down. From the center of her chest protruded a blade. The point of Blood Mithril could be seen through the rivers of blood that flowed from the wound, dripping and drenching her heavy coat.

Then she fell backward. Falling, Falling, Falling. Like when she was being sent to a new life like she was about to begin again, in a new quest. She landed in someone's arms, and Rylee's first thought was 'Kíli'. Looking up expecting to see her beloved, she screamed in horror at the countenance above her. It was Him, The Deceiver. Sauron.

She tried to scream, but her jaw was immovable. She tried to move, to escape, but she was frozen, still as a statue, carved from granite, entombed in stone. There was nothing that she could do to break free from her prison. She could only stare up into the fair visage of the dark minion of Morgoth.

He was dressed as a man, straight black hair falling long and silky down his back. He was beautiful in this form, even she had to admit that. His skin was golden in the light of her nightmare, it accentuated his deep dark eyes, framed by finely arched brows. He wore black clothes, black tunic, black cloak and a tall sharp black crown. He was handsome, alluring, and tempting.

Rylee knew instinctively that it was just one of his many faces, for he was a shape shifter, a changeling. He could change his face and form at will. It was how the betrayer deceived the Valar for years.

"Come to me, My Love, come to me. Let me take you away from this pain. Let me take you away from the dark life that the Valar have trapped you in." His voice was soft and sweet and seductive. He caressed her face and touched her hair. She would have flinched away in pain if she could react to either. "Men, Dwarves, Elves, they pale in comparison to the wonder that was forged into you. You are greatness; you are the embodiment of all life. Your power is wasted saving the lives of weak Men, stubborn Dwarves, and arrogant Elves. You are more than they are. Come away with me, out of the clutches of those who would use you. I would teach you control. Your power, combined with mine, we would be formidable together."

She was screaming inside of her mind. She was crying and screaming for an escape from his entrapment. She was imprisoned, her rage burned from within her frozen body. Rylee beat against it from the inside, fighting against him tooth and nail. Giving every part of herself to fight but nothing she did could remove what bound her.

"Come to me, My Love, let me take the loneliness away. You will never have to be alone again Rúnyatári. Be my queen as I take this world and pare away the filth and lay waste to the chaos that fills it." He kept talking in his careful, calming, cajoling voice. Softly caressing her face and hair, he caused shivers of pain to run down her frozen frame, as he attempted to seduce her. "Men, Elves, Dwarves, all those creatures the Valar unleashed upon this world. They are a blight on it. I will fix that. I will create a world with order. It will function under my rule. I alone will create beauty out of all this. I will create it for you, my beautiful fire queen. You will be my morning star, bright as the light of the sun, calm as a harvest moon."

"Release me! Release me from this nightmare!" Rylee screamed inside her mind. All the while Sauron continued to croon to her, how he would make her his queen.

"Come to me, My Love, let me love you as you deserve to be. You are beautiful, Rylee Emitheral, Daughter of Aulë. Such beauty is wasted among Dwarves, Elves, and Men. Come to me and allow me to appreciate your lovely visage. I alone would dote on you. I would embrace you. I would teach you control." Still he whispered to her. Endearments, soft promises, and sweet nothings rolled off of his golden tongue as he tried to pull her into darkness. "Let me adore you as only you deserve to be. Let me share with you the visions of my world. Allow me to show you how great it can be with you beside me as my queen."

"Liar! You are a liar, Sauron! You know nothing of love! You do not want me as a queen, you want to crush me as you have crushed all others. You want to use my power to destroy the world." Rylee fought ever harder in his ever tightening grip. She tried to fight him. Biting, screaming, scratching, clawing, kicking anything in an attempt to free herself, but she was trapped. Powerless. Paralyzed. The more she fought him, the more he pressed her into her frozen form.

"Do not fight me, Rylee, there is no use. Not with the darkness of Ungoliant within you. As much as you fight it, you need it. You need the darkness to see the world around you. You need me!" Sauron growled in anger.

Visions of Beleriand flashed before her eye, Ancalagon, crushing the triple-peaked mountains of the Thangorodrim. Fields of bodies lay before her, as far as her eyes could see. Standards held in dead hands waved limply in a tepid wind, fires raged around her. The smell of burning flesh assaulted her nose and the ashes of the dead fell upon her body like freshly fallen snow. Dragons rose around her, devouring the charred carcasses of the fallen and fighting the great powers of the Valar.

Then the world began to crumble, the ground beneath her feet began to quake, she could not keep her footing. Massive chunks of land fell into the ocean, creating high waves that washed over the land. Still the Valar fought on against Morgoth and Sauron and their host of dark creatures. One by one, she watched them fall. Varda, Nienna, Manwë, Yavanna, Ulmo and Mandos, followed by the others, one by one until they were all defeated. Rylee tried to reach them, to fight beside her family, but as she reached them, their bodies turned to ash and were swept away by a gust of dragons' breath. Mahal and Eru remained and she ran to help them.

She didn't know when she regained the use of her body, but she ran to their sides as they were struck down by Morgoth. She screamed in horror, falling to her knees between them, "No! Father! Eru! Not you too! Please, No!"

She touched them, their silent, pale faces and they began to crumble under her fingers, flaking away to nothing in her hands. She screamed in terror as they were carried away like dust on the wind.

Another battlefield flashed before her eyes. More bodies filled the fields, their blood coating the rocky ground. She stumbled over severed limbs and discarded body parts and weapons as she made her way to a familiar family crest. Her friends lay pale and grey on either side of her path, each with an array of battle wounds. The Company was decimated. She sobbed in pain and rage as she staggered along towards the crest. She lost all hope when she saw their bodies, deformed and broken and headless. Thorin, Fíli, and Kíli. Dead.

"No!" Rylee screamed looking around her at the sea of death that encompassed her. "No!"

She heard his familiar mirthless laugh. She turned and he became as she last saw him, a dark shadow in a tall black crown, so similar to that of Morgoth. He pointed to the top of a tall lone mountain peak and she knew she had to go in that direction. She ran for the mountain and was joined by a man in brown leather and green wool. Together they approached the mountain. Ungoliant's voice whispering in her ears, "Unravel the knots of Silver and Gold." She looked at her companion, but she could not see his face, she did not know his name, but here he was again. They were back at the beginning of the dream.

Fourth Watch Early morning of May 17

"Thorin, wake up," Dori whispered in the darkness, touching his king on the shoulder.

"What? What is it?" Thorin said reaching instantly for his sword.

"Time for your watch," Dori answered with a concerned look on his face. "You wanted to see, remember?"

"Right," Thorin sat up and his eyes instantly landed on the small Dwarrowdam. He was concerned for Rylee, they all were, at least those who knew something was wrong, Balin, Dwalin, Fíli, Kíli, and Dori. Ever since Rylee and Kíli came back from fighting the dragon, there was something dreadfully wrong with the girl. It was Mikhaul that alerted Kíli, and Kíli told Fíli, and both of his nephews told him. He saw immediately what they meant. Rylee usually moved in her sleep, as restless in her slumber as she was in daylight. Tonight she slept unmoving on her back. "How long has she been like this?"

"All night, Fíli said it happened like the other nights. She would roll from her side onto her back and then that was it," Dori informed him quietly. The fussy dwarf who doted on his brothers was looking down at Rylee with that same expression he reserved for Ori. He was completely concerned. "She's been like that ever since. What do you think could be wrong with her?"

"I don't know yet, I want to see her wake up, I need to see what Kíli is talking about," Thorin said as he rose from his bedroll. It was last watch. Rylee's watch. Usually her dreams would wake her during the second watch and she would send everyone but her partner to their beds, but for the past five days, it was different. Ever since the dragon Rylee slept, figuratively, like the dead.

Rylee was lying on her back, unmoving. Her hands lay on the ground on each side of her. She looked as one would when lying in state. She was still as a statue, still as carven stone. Her breaths were even and deep, but rare, every ten seconds or so. The most movement was the constant flicker of her eyes underneath her eyelids. Every once in a while she would whine softly from her throat. Every night she was like this. At first they thought it was just a minor thing, but what put everyone on high alert was the way she woke up. After five nights of no change, Thorin arranged to have watch with her so that he could be there for when they woke her.

"I told you it was bad, Uncle," Kíli said from the other side of her. He sat beside Mikhaul's head, the mare watching Rylee intently.

Thorin knelt beside her and put his hand on her shoulder. For a long moment, there was no reaction at all, but the moment he squeezed her eyes popped open. It was eerie. Grey, lifeless, unseeing eyes stared back. Then she took a breath, deep and fast as though she was coming up for air after being underwater. A flash of terror crossed her face, then she focused on Thorin and relief pushed away the terror and white sparks burst into her eyes. She blinked a couple times and sat up.

"Why does everyone wake me up with that same expression of worry? Do not tell me it is nothing, I am tired of the lies. I know there is something wrong because the dreams are wrong," Rylee looked at Thorin and tried to force her heart to slow down. The fear that was flowing through her was beyond anything she ever felt before. "Tell me why, Thorin."

"I can't really explain it, Rylee, you look like you are sleeping, but not," Thorin said quietly, meeting her gaze. He would not lie to her. He was concerned, but if no one told her what they saw, how was she to fix it? "You look like you are dead, motionless, and still, as though something is holding you in place. When you wake, it is like that same thing has sucked the life right out of you."

Rylee groaned and put her head in her hands. "Not something. Someone."

"What?" Thorin reared back away from her. Kíli moved closer out of concern, and Dori just looked utterly confused.

"In my dreams, Sauron is holding me down, I cannot move, I can barely breathe. All the while I am screaming on the inside." Rylee told them. She felt exhausted, as though she got no rest at all through the night. "I just want a proper sleep with the usual nightmares."

"When is the last time you had a proper sleep, Rylee?" Kíli asked quietly, from his place by Mikhaul.

"On the ride back," Rylee whispered softly. Then she looked at Kíli, "That's not true though is it? When we were in camp, you said I slept for a full day. I didn't have a nightmare until the ride back."

"That was different Rylee," Kíli returned softly, shaking his head slowly, "You slept much like you usually do. Restlessly, you breathed normally, and you whispered or hummed or moved in your sleep. These last days, only your eyes move. The rest of you, it's like you are entombed."

"I need to talk to Gandalf and I need to spend some time at a fire." Rylee sighed in frustration. There had been little time or any good place for a proper bath for the past five days, so there was no chance for her to use her fire.

"But you were engulfed in flame while fighting the dragon," Kíli argued softly, not angrily, he just didn't understand.

Rylee sighed and looked at him and then at Thorin and Dori, "Using fire in battle is different, things get muddy and bloody. I can become contaminated, as can my flame. The only way to get rid of the taint is to burn, that could take hours."

"Do it today," Thorin nodded meeting her surprised eyes, "Once we are on the road, you speak to Gandalf, then you go do what you must. Meet us tonight, and we will watch over you and see -."

"And see if the dream changes," Rylee whispered with a slight nod. She climbed out of her bedroll and packed up for the day. A few hours of watch, then they would break camp and she could do what she needed to do.

Five days of the same dream, again and again and again. She just could not take it anymore. After seven years of battling the dark creatures of Morgoth. Dragons, Balrogs, Werewolves, Bats, Orcs, Vampires, Wargs, Trolls, she faced them all, killed so many, and yet she felt utterly defeated. She talked to Mikhaul about it, venting her frustration, but there was nothing the great mare could do. Other than sympathize, which she did, Mikhaul felt powerless. Rylee just grew overwhelmed. Day after day, her emotions brewed and festered like an angry wound. So many dragons, a constant battle, never-ending war, the uncountable losses, it was too much to bear and Rylee was not sure how much longer she could hold it inside.

* * *

The warm spring days were getting warmer, and the road seemed almost unending. Kíli was once again rehashing the battle against Esgaud with the company. After Thorin had given his blessing, Kíli shared everything he could remember with the entire group. The only part he left out was his conversation with Mahal. It was a promise he made and one he would keep though it was killing him to not be able to tell Fíli, he knew that it would hurt Rylee to know she missed seeing her father. The Company kept asking more and more questions about it, and Kíli was more than pleased to answer them. At least, that was for the first five times, after that he became quite weary with the questions. Kíli noticed that Rylee too, was becoming frustrated with the tale. Every time someone asked about the dragon, Rylee would sigh and walk away.

Rylee and Mikhaul were becoming restless. They were finally out on the trail and Rylee was waiting for a moment when Gandalf was not in conversation with anyone since she didn't want to be rude and interrupt. While she waited, she mostly kept to herself unless Fíli or Bofur pulled her into a conversation. She avoided Kíli, not wanting to think about what she confessed on the way back to the Company. The depths of her feelings for him haunted her. She loved him and didn't want him to be dragged into her messy life.

The dreams were tearing her to pieces. The mystery of the golden dragon added to the darkness that followed her and the grief over the people she lost. Feeling more and more weighed down, Rylee had so many questions and she needed answers.

There was only one person in the company who could answer them. Rylee left Fíli's side as Ori dropped back to ask yet more questions about the dragon. Kíli rolled his eyes and started to tell his tale yet again. Rylee just huffed in annoyance as she and Mikhaul moved into position beside Gandalf, "Who is Saruman the White?"

"Oh! Rylee! I was not expecting you!" Gandalf started looking across at Rylee. He sat tall on his horse, and she was so small on the back of Mikhaul, that they were eye to eye.

"You are Maia and were sent as Istari to help with the darkness," Rylee said softly, keeping her conversation low. The dreams, the recent fight with Esgaud, and the mysterious dragon called Scatha worried her greatly. She didn't like it, not one bit. "You said you were one of five, who is Saruman?"

"He is Aulë's servant, Curumo," Gandalf replied softly, watching Rylee's face. It didn't change, her eyes sparked in recognition, but otherwise she was hiding her emotions.

"You think he would have been the one to meet me for Scatha?" Rylee asked softly. She remembered Curumo with fondness, he was often in Aulë's presence when she was growing up, and they became friends over time. She remembered taking a tumble off of Mikhaul as a young child and he was the one to come to her aid. Rylee was a busy child and even though she often got in his way, he would, more often than not, give her something to distract her. Often inviting her to help him puzzle something out. As she grew, they often studied together, she learned a great deal from the Maia.

"As Aulë's servant it makes the most sense for him to meet you since we were already here," Gandalf told her, trying to recall the events of that time. "I was traveling in the west at that time, and Saruman and the Blue Wizards went east. He would have been closer to you, and as Aulë's Maia, he would be the ideal escort for you during that life."

There was just too much going on. Rylee was beginning to feel plagued with all of these new revelations, "Could it really be possible that I was here? I don't remember anything but flashes, and unless my dreams are based in truth, it makes no sense to me."

"I think it very possible," Gandalf said as he pondered her questions and her last years. "If you were here, it would not have been for long. Thorin said seven years had passed since he last heard from you." Rylee nodded, and Gandalf continued his thoughts, as she ruminated on what he was telling her. "You died in the Thangorodrim in the dead of winter and arrived at Bilbo's at the end of April. If the events happened back to back like they always do for you, then you are missing six months of time. Six months is more than enough time to confront Scatha."

"Esgaud said he was there, Gandalf," Rylee whispered as her stomach tightened in worry. "I have never let a dragon get past me and I can't shake this awful feeling that I have in my heart. In my dreams, I hear whispers, Ungoliant's whispers. Telling me to 'Unravel the Knots of Silver and Gold'. I swear Gandalf that sounds like the edict of a quest to me."

"And what would it mean, do you think?" Gandalf asked her watching her face. There was a flash of emotion in her eyes, but otherwise her face remained a hard cold mask.

"I don't know for certain, and I won't until I see Curumo again," Rylee said trying to shake off the fears that were building inside of her. "My fear is that I failed."

They were silent for a long time, but neither moved away from each other. Content to ride side by side, enjoying the bright sunshine and the fresh air from the backs of their horses, neither was willing to speak what was on their minds. It was Mikhaul who broke the silence for them, "Is it just me, or are you both skirting the bigger issue that is at hand?"

"What do you mean, Mikhaul?" Gandalf said in surprised consternation. He had a feeling where this conversation was going, and he was not certain that he was interested in discussing it with Rylee.

"Tell him of your dreams Rylee," Mikhaul whispered in their minds, her voice soft and cajoling. "Tell Gandalf what you have been seeing."

She told him, of the man in brown and green, of the two dragons, of the fire that she used, and the way her own dagger pierced her through the back, impaling her heart. She could hear Ungoliant's whispers, Sauron's seduction, the fall of the Valar, and the death of the Company of Thorin Oakenshield every night in her dreams. "Sauron is back isn't he? These are not just dreams are they? Was he not punished by the Valar for his indiscretions?"

Rylee looked at Gandalf, who oddly squirmed under the weight of the question. He did not want to answer her! What happened that her old friend did not want to share information with her? Her voice was a low, harsh whisper, "He was not! Was he? The Deceiver got away! Tell me what happened, Gandalf, you must tell me what has become of Sauron!"

"Aye, he escaped the judgment of the Valar by going into hiding." Gandalf hissed at her, he kicked his horse into a gallop and rode far ahead motioning for her and Mikhaul to follow. Once they were far ahead of the others, he slowed his horse back to a walk and continued, still speaking softly, "He stayed in hiding for centuries building his power and gathering forces. He set himself up in Mordor and built himself a fortress near Mount Doom, and started gathering an enormous army to him."

"It sounds like he did much the same as Morgoth did at Angband," Rylee nodded recognizing the influence of the Dark One over Sauron. "Go on Gandalf."

"Wanting ever more control over Middle-Earth, he had nineteen rings fashioned. There is much dispute regarding who created the rings, and what their original purposes were, but that is neither here nor there. There were Three made for the Elves, Seven for each of the Dwarven Clans, and Nine for the Kings of Men. For himself, Sauron created the One Ring that would bind all of the others to his and thus give him the power to control all of the free people of Middle-Earth. The moment he put on his ring, the Elves knew that the rings were created with treachery in mind. They removed them and hid them away. It is felt that this is the only reason that Sauron's attempt did not work."

"So he tried to take over Middle-Earth? He was obviously not successful." Rylee said looking around, it was pretty obvious that the world was still free, but that did not mean that Sauron was defeated, and it did not explain what she was feeling. It did not explain what she was seeing in her dreams.

"Nay after many years and many wars Sauron was defeated by Gil-galad and Elendil. Sauron put so much of himself into the One Ring that when Elendil's son, Isildur, cut the ring from Sauron's hand his life force was dispersed not destroyed. The ring was never returned to the fires of Mount Doom where it was created, allowing him to use the power of the ring to rise again," Gandalf told her quietly. It was obvious that he was not comfortable talking about such dark tidings. Rylee realized that it must be because she was such a dark soul herself. He would never admit it, but he worried about her, she was well aware of it. "Saruman, myself, and the three others were sent after his fall because the Valar feared that he would grow in the shadows once again. They were not wrong. We have been finding evidence of his movements for years."

"So I am not wrong when I say that I am being watched from the shadows," Rylee stated thoughtfully. Now that she knew who was sending monsters after her, she could fight back. She could prepare herself for the darkness that was to come for her. Mikhaul was right when she said that darkness was growing. "I take it you know where he is hiding."

"You are not wrong," Gandalf agreed looking over at the small Dwarrowdam. She seemed a little lighter after such a dark conversation. "As for the other-."

"Do not tell me," Rylee said meeting his eyes, she shook her head gravely, "I do not want to know where he is. Unless he has something directly to do with my quest, I will leave him and the darkness to you and the others. I know my place and it is here with Thorin and his Company."

"If he comes for you Rylee, you may not have any choice," Gandalf advised her gently.

Rylee nodded and smiled softly, "He will not come for me, Gandalf, he will send his beasts and his creatures, but he will not come himself. Even with a mere spark of light in my soul, I am stronger than his darkness."

Rylee and Mikhaul reported to Thorin that they were leaving and headed off to find a place where Rylee could perform her cleansing rituals.


	12. When the Bough Breaks

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Chapter 12

When the Bough Breaks

May 17

Thorin's thoughts drifted into the events of the days since his argument with Rylee regarding the use of her magic. Rylee remained distant from him. Their relationship was tenuous at best. He knew he needed to talk to her. After taking time to think about what he told her, he knew that he was being rash. He often was when it came to her. He understood that the magic was part of her, that she needed to use it and practice it in order to gain control over it. As much as it terrified him, she needed to know how to use the gifts she was given, which was why he told her to leave and do what she must.

Regardless of their differences, Thorin was grateful for Rylee's presence amongst the company and not just because she worked hard or for the protection she offered to them. She brought him joy, and a small fraction of pride, when he saw the results of his teachings. She was as kindred to him as Fili and Kili were, and yet even more so. After watching Dis and Sevrin with Kili and Fili, he wanted to have a family of his own. The chance never arose, and he never found a Dwarrowdam who suited him. When he was in the dream world watching Rylee grow, he wanted nothing more than to be more of a parent to her. Even though he knew that she was not his, Thorin could not help but feel that Rylee was his child in so many ways.

Even Mahal knew of the extent of his feelings for Rylee. In fact Mahal encouraged him and told Thorin that someday he would need to be there for Rylee in ways that only a Dwarf could be. That was before Rylee broke the rules set out for her and caused a rift amongst the Valar. When Eru told them all to sever ties, Thorin just could not break that bond, no matter how hard he tried. He loved Rylee. In his heart she was his daughter. He just wanted to keep her safe. He was worried about her, especially since this new problem arose, and Rylee's dreams were affecting her so obviously. The problem was that they did not know how to communicate with each other. Everything between them seemed to become tainted, twisted and blown out of proportion. They argued more than they spoke, Rylee seemed to know this too, since they just stayed silent around each other.

She was more withdrawn than ever, quieter and more thoughtful. He knew this mood. She was holding her emotions so tight inside her that she was going to burst. It was only a matter of time when the dam would break and she would shatter, it was just a matter of when. Her frame of mind was so gloomy that Thorin was sure that she would have distanced herself from the rest of the company. He hadn't even said anything, just quirked a brow in question and off she went. Fili and Bofur would not allow it, and kept drawing Rylee into conversations and discussions. She was definitely avoiding Kili, though she watched him hungrily from her place in the outskirts of camp. Thorin caught her twice and both times she grumbled in frustration and stalked angrily away from camp.

Still she kept her end of her bargain and pulled her weight doing chores in the camp. She made herself useful in any way she could, either starting a fire, or keeping watch, or scouting, or gathering wood. Oin and Gloin often teased her that the wood she brought back was cleaner than the bowls they ate out of, not a spider or bug to be found on them. She gave everyone a break from their assigned jobs, except for Bombur, to whom she gave praise instead. The rotund red head doted on her, giving her a large ration, before the others could have theirs, he didn't even blink an eye when she ultimately shared it with one of the others, usually Kili.

They were in camp for the evening, gathered around the fire waiting for Bombur to work his magic and create a stew with some of the stag that Kili and Rylee brought back. Fili and Kili sat together chatting as usual, while Rylee was sitting between Gandalf and Thorin. Rylee was writing in a thick black journal, it was not the same one that she shared with Kili on her first night, this one seemed much thicker and much darker. What ever happened between them, Thorin was thankful that she was at least not being petty, and sitting away from him. He hoped that her activities for the day paid off, that a day using fire magic would bring an end to the strange spell that tormented her sleep.

"They called Glaurung the Father of Dragons, and yet Ancalagon was bigger." Nori was saying to Gloin, "and I heard that the Urulókë of Gondolin carried Balrogs on its back into battle. Where do you think Smaug fits in with them, do you think he would be bigger than the Urulókë? He must be smaller than Ancalagon, that beast nearly took out all of Beleriand!"

"I don't know, Nori, perhaps you should ask our expert." Gloin said looking over at Rylee, who was pointedly trying to ignore the conversation completely. She was working in her journal, sketching and writing out who knew what. "What do you think, Rylee? By your estimation would Smaug be bigger or smaller than the Urulokë?"

"Larger," Rylee said as she flipped through the pages of her journal.

"Come now, Rylee," Dori admonished her softly, after waiting for her to continue, and she did not, "You need to give us more than that."

"No, I don't," Rylee said with a sigh as she closed her book and rubbed her temples.

"Hey, Kili, you didn't tell us what happened to Esgaud's body." Nori pressed looking at Kili.

Kili shrugged and looked at Rylee, seeing no help coming from her, he responded. "When I came back from hunting, the dragon was naught but ash."

"How is that possible?" Ori seized upon the topic with zeal. "A dragon cannot just burn itself."

"Well of course not," Rylee snapped as she pulled her pack onto her lap and put away her journal, "Kili may not have known to burn the body, but Mahal did."

"So now you are saying that Mahal came here to dispose of a dragon?" Nori said incredulously. They were all looking at Rylee expecting more information.

"That is exactly what I am saying, Nori," Rylee growled, her anger rising higher and higher. She wanted to get off the topic of dragons, she was sick of it. "Whenever I kill a dragon alone, Mahal comes and takes the scales, skin, claws and teeth. Anything of value that I might need later on, he salvages and saves for me. Sometimes I am awake, sometimes I am not. When I am awake we dispose of the beast together. The results are the same, all that would be left of the dragon is a pile of ash."

"You knew he came?" Kili asked quietly in frustration. For days he wanted to at least tell Fili, and it drove him nearly mad, trying to keep it a secret.

"I was not certain until you said that Esgaud was ashes when you returned from hunting," Rylee said with a sad smile, "It does not surprise me though. I just wish I could have seen him. I take it that he told you not to tell me?"

"Aye, he said it would just hurt you," Kili said apologetically. He didn't want her to think he kept it secret out of malice. He just wanted to keep his promise.

Rylee just nodded, her heart was a little hurt. She missed Mahal, and it was so rare that she actually got to see him. Of the Fourty one dragons, he disposed of seven, and of the seven, she was awake for only four of them. She refused to count Scatha, until she knew more of what happened, she would not count him as one of her kills. She turned her attention back to her pack and checked her gear. A thought hit her and she pulled out her grey tunic, looking both front and back, she checked to see if there were any marks from her last death. The leather was flawless, as was the leather on her black tunic, her jacket and all of her under clothes. There was absolutely no evidence that she was ever stabbed through the heart. So what did it all mean?

"You met Mahal?" Fili said in surprise. He looked at his brother feeling a little hurt, "you met Mahal and you didn't tell me?"

"I promised I wouldn't tell anyone," Kili shrugged looking at his brother almost sheepishly. He looked at the pained look in Rylee's eyes, she was trying to hide her emotions again, but her eyes were so sad. Looking over at Fili he whispered, "I will tell you about it later, I don't think now is a great time."

"I just can't believe you were able to keep a secret from me for so long." Fili said with a small smirk. He did understand though, the darkness that entered Rylee's eyes told him that she was much more hurt than she let on.

"Why would he collect the claws and teeth of a dragon? What possible use could they be to you?" Ori asked, continuing on with the interrogation of all things dragon. He wanted to know about Mahal too, but it didn't look like Kili was sharing anything more, and the dragons were fascinating.

Rylee sat back in frustration, a low growl in her throat as she tried to rein in her temper. For days the questions flew, today was like any other. Some of them were even repeated a half a dozen times and debated for hours before the subject was finally dropped. Even leaving for the day did nothing to calm her annoyance at the continued barrage of questions about the battle and about dragons in general.

"Don't Rylee," Thorin warned her quietly, his hand settled on her shoulder. He could see the mask starting to crack.

"I can understand the Scales but really the teeth and the claws?" Ori continued, not hearing or seeing the effects of his questions, "and what would one do with dragon leather? It's not like you can penetrate it with a needle, making anything out of it would be near impossible."

"Aye, dragon scale is rare and precious. It can be ground up and used in a paste for sanding and grinding. It can also be used to make belts, jewelry, even armor," Rylee said between gritted teeth, "But I have made blades, handles, hafts, arrowheads and combs out of the teeth and claws. As for the leather, it may be so tough that a normal iron blade will not pierce it, but a black arrow or Blood Mithril can with ease. Mahal uses the hide to make my clothes."

"So she wears dragon hide, and wears a mithril corselet." Fili mused quietly, more to himself and Kili than to Rylee, but she heard him just the same, "It is brilliant really, a couple of extra layers of armor, and it doesn't weigh as much as metal."

"You make weapons out of their teeth and claws," Nori asked lost in his own thoughts, "Do you think there might be a market in dragon forge -."

"Enough! Enough about these double damned drakes! I don't want to hear it anymore! Do not speak to me of Esgaud, Scatha, or any other of the foul beasts! I will not hear mention of them again!" Rylee roared turning on Nori and the others sitting around the fire. They all jumped in surprise, her voice was full of power and the hair on their arms began to rise. Bit by bit, word by word, she was coming unhinged. The carefully placed mask was beginning to crumble. "I have seen great Men, Elves, and Dwarves brought low by the wrath of those monsters! Thousands upon thousands of warriors littering the battlefields, there at my command to attempt to kill the fiends! There is no glory in fighting dragons! Only doom and death, and I am done with it!"

"But you are Rúnyatári, Queen Emitheral, War Maiden of the Valar," Ori said softly, his voice was little more than a fearful whisper, "You were made to kill dragons."

"More men have been killed in my name, than there have ever been dragons, Ori," Rylee said softly as her voice cracked, "I am no queen, I am a monster. As dark as any dragon."

"You cannot think that!" Bilbo looked up at her absolutely horrified, "You are a great hero, and some of your titles are remembered even in Hobbiton. There is even a day dedicated to the Lady of Grace!"

"Bilbo is right, Rylee!" Ori added on shaking his head adamantly, "The libraries of Ered Luin are filled with tales of your battles. Your titles are still remembered today; Rúnyatári the "Queen of Red Flame", Queen Emitheral, the Champion of the People and the Lady of Grace. Most people think that the tales are of different war maidens, no one ever thought that all of those titles might belong to one Dwarrowdam."

"You mean Queen of Risking All and Gaining Nothing, The Champion of Death, and the Lady of Graceless Acts!" Rylee whispered harshly, and glared at the ground through tear filled eyes, the power in her voice caused the entire company to shiver. "I do not give a flying fig about some pretentious, self-righteous, hunk of metal pinned to my head. I was supposed to sacrifice my life for theirs, not the other way around!"

"Rylee, what is the meaning of this," Gloin chided her softly, looking at her in concern, "You were perfectly fine just moments ago."

"No! I was not!" Rylee screamed at the top of her lungs, tears began streaming down her face as she completely lost control, "I have not been fine for years! I am fed up with Morgoth and his vile demon drakes! I am fed up with Sauron and Ungoliant! I am done with all of it!"

Rylee jumped to her feet and rushed away, her blooded axes flashing in their holsters in the late afternoon sun. All thirteen Dwarves, a hobbit and a Wizard stared after her in complete shock. Every one of them rose to follow her into the nearby field. She pulled her axes and laid into a mangled dead tree that stood alone, its barren grey bark-less limbs shaking under the impact of each stroke of her axes. She screamed a war cry as she attacked it, driving the Blood Mithril blades into the dried wood, hacking and chipping away massive chunks and slivers of tinder. Chips and shavings flew away and within seconds the tree was fallen and all that laid before her was a short uneven stump.

"That is not possible," Dwalin whispered in both shock and awe, "I tried cutting that very tree down on our arrival, for fire wood. The wood is petrified. Solid as stone."

"Then I would not suggest you get on Rylee's bad side in a blood rage," Thorin advised quietly, looking over at his friend, "Especially when wielding those axes."

All eyes fell on them for a long moment while Thorin focused on Rylee. She released a guttural cry and dropped her axes onto the ground, becoming perfectly still for a long moment. A low keening moan left her and she began to shake. 'Nienna's grace!' Thorin thought, 'She is too compassionate to hold that much grief within herself.' The last time he saw her break like this was after Eru told the Valar to keep their distance. After she finally told Thorin what happened to her, when she ran away at twenty-three, and nearly got herself killed. Nearly fifty years passed since then, fifty years of constant training and teaching and no small amount of defiance from Rylee. She was so impetuous and headstrong that, when she turned sixty-five, she demanded to be allowed to begin her quests, even though most of the Valar were against letting her go. Once again Eru had to step in and make the final decision. Considering how much happened to her since arriving in Middle-Earth, Thorin was surprised that she kept it together for so long.

Heart wrenching sobs wracked her small frame, Rylee dropped to her knees and drove her fists into the ground, as she did, she screamed. It was filled with rage, and pain, and heartbreak, it was raw and feral in its intensity. Kili was certain that he saw the ground displace under the impact of her fists as she curled in on herself. Kili's throat closed around the lump that suddenly filled it, seeing her in such pain was like taking a punch in the gut. He wanted nothing more than to take her pain from her, soothe her. It physically hurt him to see her like this. He moved to go after her, but Thorin's heavy hand on his shoulder stopped him. He met his uncle's eyes and he saw something there, it was like an answering sadness to Rylee's pain. Thorin's voice was low when he whispered, "I will go, Kili."

Thorin went after her, and the company watched intently from the edge of the camp. They could not believe their eyes or ears. The usually fierce, hardened War Maiden, with the cold facade was in the middle of the field breaking down. The entire company hovered, watching in different degrees of shock as the lass gave in to her emotions. It set the entire company on edge, as they watched her inner torment fester to the surface. The cold steely mask fell away and the tears fell even faster, revealing a broken girl. She was inconsolable, her heartbreak was palpable, and it was horrible to watch someone who seemed so strong become so fragile.

Ori looked at her, feeling stunned, and then he looked back at the others and asked, "Did I say something wrong?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Kili muttered under his breath to Fili who stood beside him. He was so angry at everyone for pushing her to this point. He wanted to blame them all, "She asked us on day one to forgo the titles."

"More like commanded," Fili agreed just as quietly, it was not like she gave them a choice. "And the constant talk of dragons didn't help. Since facing Esgaud she has been avoiding the topic and has become even more withdrawn."

"It is nothing you said or did, Ori. Rylee is just overwhelmed at the moment," Gandalf sent a worried look after her. Hunted by beasts, dragons and Sauron, dealing with the deaths of her soldiers and her friends, and trying to unravel the mystery of both her past and her present quests, she was more than inundated with trouble. A lesser person would have given up already.

Ori turned to Dori and whispered, "I feel awful! I keep pushing for her stories, and I forget that she just came from battle. And the dragons, oh Mahal! I have wronged her! This is my fault! It is all my fault!"

"It is no more your fault than mine, Ori," Bilbo said softly, though he too felt guilty for saying anything that might have upset the girl. "We are all curious about her. She has led the most unusual life."

"You can talk to her later, Ori," Dori returned quietly, then looked at the company hovering at the edge of camp, "Perhaps it would be best if we give the poor girl some time. She and Thorin should have some privacy to work this out."

"I think it is time to tell the others what has been happening these last few nights, brother." Balin said to Dwalin, who nodded in agreement. Dwalin herded the rest of the company back to camp to tell them of the odd sleep pattern that Rylee was caught in since killing the dragon. Balin put his arms around both Fili and Kili, pulling them along so that Thorin could talk to Rylee alone.

Curled up in the field, balanced on her knees, she howled in her pain. For years she was able to hold it all in, now without the forthright friendship of Jovina, and straightforward advice of Kaia, she couldn't do it anymore. She was drowning in regret and torment, it was too much for her to bear alone, and the two people she relied on most were long gone. Her two blood-bound friends vanished into nothingness in the middle of dragon battles, with only Rylee as a witness. She was out of her mind with the grief. She lost so much to those dragons. She lost soldiers, comrades, and friends. Her tears fell in streams, and her breaths felt ragged in her throat, her stomach clenched in pain as her body released wave after wave of sorrow.

It was instinctive, Rylee could hear him and feel him approach her, Thorin was only a few feet away from her when she told him, "Leave me alone."

He dropped to his knees before her put his hands on her upper arms and rubbed them gently, "Do not do this Rylee, do not blame yourself. You did what you had to in order to prevail. You fought alongside those men. They loved you and would follow you anywhere. These are the scars of being a leader."

"When do the screams fade? When do you stop hearing them plead for their lives?" Rylee whispered closing her eyes tightly. Tears slipped silently through her lashes. Her fists clenched in pain, "When does the weight of the responsibility lighten? I led men to their deaths, fighting dragons, dragons that I was too weak to fight alone. Now I am supposed to Change the Hands of Fate for this Company? How?"

"Rylee, you are not alone in this life. Take a leap of faith and let us help you. Let me help you," Thorin could not stand it anymore, he pulled her into his arms. She stiffened instantly at the contact, but he wrapped his arms around her and waited. It took a less than a minute before she gave in and sobbed softly into his neck. He sat there and held her against him and let her grieve. It was a few minutes before he realized that he had not held her as such since she was twenty-three. The last time he saw her so broken, and defeated. "Stop fighting it Rylee, just let it out."

"They died for me, and I could do nothing to save them!" Rylee sobbed in frustration. Her mind reeling as she tried, unsuccessfully, to hold her overwhelming emotions in check. It was becoming harder and harder to hold everything in. Tears fell freely down her face, and she had no way to stop them. "Every time I came back I learned that my friends were fallen. I helped kill the dragons, and my friends died anyways. And now I find I had another life and death that I don't even remember. A dragon that I have only seen flashes of. I can't shake the horrible feeling that I failed. I once thought that I succeeded in all my quests, now I am not so sure. If Esgaud was at the battle of Scatha, they should have both died. If I succeeded, your kin would have lived."

Thorin knew she was talking about Dain I and Fror, and he wondered for a moment if this could be true. The Cold Drake did kill his great grandfather and granduncle, but the mountains were plagued by drakes for years. There were plans to move their people to the Lonely Mountain long before the dragons forced their hand. If they were still in the Grey Mountains would Smaug still have come? Would Thror still want to take back Moria? Would he still be alive? Would Frerin?

Thorin remembered receiving the news of his grandfather's death at Moria, killed by Azog, and Nar's tale regarding the defiling of Thror's body. Thrain leading them to war against the Orcs, before going missing from among the mass of dead upon the battlefield, vanished in the midst of war. The memory of his younger brother haunted him, his death in the battle of Azunulbizar tore Thorin apart from the inside. He recalled the loss of all those men, many of whom were as close to him as brothers, many of them cousins, all of them kindred that died on the battlefield at the gates of Moria. Warriors like Fundin, and Nain. Hundreds of soldiers died to avenge his grandfather and later rose to fight again with Thorin as their leader. Sevrin and Dis mourned with him and helped him through those darkest days, helping him to find some semblance of peace. Though they could not help him forget the horrors, they did help him to cope with the overwhelming loss and guilt.

He remembered grieving together with his sister Dis and Fili and Kili when Sevrin was killed by Orcs while returning from a meeting of Emissaries in the Iron Hills. He and Dis kept each other sane by offering comfort and solace. Kili was ten, and Fili fifteen at the time. He knew grief, the fact that someone as young as Rylee knew it as well as he did, if not better, it bothered him immensely. She needed him, and he vowed that he would be here for her. He would help her through this.

"Stop, Rylee, stop blaming yourself. You don't know that you failed, you don't know what happened. Even if Esgaud was meant to die with Scatha, you cannot blame yourself. You do not know what went wrong. Whatever it was, it would have had to be tremendous to keep you from completing a quest." Thorin told her softly as he rubbed her back soothingly.

"But they died! Why did they all have to die?" Rylee choked out between broken sobs and catches of breath. This was not a simple release of grief. Thorin watched her carefully, her deepest sorrows were bared. Her grief was raw, and her heavy sobs wracked her body. Whatever happened to her in the past, it broke her and she was in need of comfort. She watched friends die, and then she died too, leaving no time for her to mourn their deaths before she arrived here. He could only imagine the confusion she was feeling with this pair of dragons that she was suddenly confronted with. His own overbearing opinions didn't help the matter any either. Thorin felt guilty for adding to her sorrows and her troubles. She was in pain, raw, heartbreaking pain.

"You don't know if they are all gone, you may still have friends in this world, Rylee," Thorin soothed her. He rubbed her back as he held her against him. "You will find them. If they yet live you will find them."

When her sobs eased and she pulled away, Rylee looked up at Thorin, her eyes red from crying, her face streaked with tears. She reached up and straightened his collar, "I am sorry Ugshar, sometimes it becomes too much to hold in."

"I offered you my shoulder Rylee. It is yours whenever you need it," He told her as he took her hand and squeezed it gently.

"Be careful where you place your offers, I am likely to take you up on them," she gave him a half hearted smile and his hand a light squeeze in return. The sorrow was still there, but the last time she gave in to grief was when they were in the Shire. Even then it was nowhere near as intense. There was no time since then for her to deal with everything that was happening around her.

"Take a moment Lukhdel, when you are ready, join us." Thorin lightly bumped his head against hers in a sign of affection. He wiped away a tear that lingered on her eyelash, stood and walked away.

Ori passed Thorin as he came back into camp. The rest of the company was back around the fire trying to pretend that they were not eavesdropping. Thorin resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the lot of them. Only Fili and Kili stood at the edge of camp being blatantly obvious as to what they were up to. Obviously Balin was not successful at keeping them in camp. On the positive side, the company was discussing plans on how to watch over Rylee, while her dreams kept her locked in their thrall.

"Fili, Kili, let them talk in private," Thorin ordered the pair. Both turned and came back to the fire, but Kili was reluctant and kept shooting angry glares in the direction Ori went, "If you are that concerned Kili, you can talk to her when you are on watch together later."

Rylee was sitting against the stump of the tree, amongst the rubble of the damage she wrought. Her axes were in her lap and she was cleaning them, checking for any damage she might have caused them during her fit. She just needed some time to pull herself together. She needed to get her thoughts in order and find a way to cope with the pain of the loss that she felt. She needed to get over the mortification of having an all out emotional breakdown in the midst of a dragon quest. How humiliating.

"I am here to apologize, Rylee, it was never my intention to bring you pain," Ori said quietly. She always seemed so cold and distant, so Ori was surprised by the depth of her hurt and sorrow.

"It's not your fault Ori, I just have not had time to deal with the – well everything, I was dead, and then I was here. With all of the hunting I have been doing I just have not had time to even think about how to bear it. Battling Esgaud just tilted the scale in the wrong direction. The dragons are only the beginning and they are always my end." Rylee said, her voice sounded raw, and her face was streaked with tears, yet somehow she looked regal. Ori could tell she was rambling, but he figured that she needed to let out her thoughts, so he waited her out. "I never wanted to be a Queen, you know? Those acts you call great deeds are my worst nightmares. I watched men, elves, and dwarves mown down by Orcs, Wargs, Balrogs and Trolls. So many vile creatures made by Morgoth and Sauron for the sake of destruction. I have seen seasoned warriors torn apart by drakes of every size and color. Those men died in battles that I led. I carry the guilt of those deaths."

"I mean no disrespect by what I am about to say, please just hear me out?" Ori said softly, quietly watching her. She was very much a Queen. With the stoic mask Rylee was intimidating, terrifying, as much as Thorin could be. Without the mask she was even more daunting, her entire persona seemed amplified. "I have read accounts of your deeds, mostly Dwarven accounts, but some from men and Elves when they are written in Westron. I would wager a goodly portion of the dragon tales of yore are of you as well. You are right that the crown does not make you a Queen, but your valor and honor in battle did. It was the people you led that truly made you a Queen. You may not have wanted the titles, but they were given to you by those who stood beside you and died for you, as well as those that survived due to your sacrifices and leadership."

"What are you saying Ori?" Rylee said, a deep weariness fell over her. She just wanted a moment of rest, a moment of peace.

"Whether you like the title or not, you are Rúnyatári, when you put yourself down, you disparage the sacrifice of the people who died in your name and that is wrong." Ori said gently, moving closer to her. He offered his hand to help her to her feet and looked her in the eye. "Please forgive me?"

She looked at his hand and then up at his face, innocent and honest, Ori was the quiet, shy, ever curious one in the group. She thought about what he said. He really did make sense. The men that died fighting in her name, in the name of the queen they followed, deserved to be honored, most of all by her. If those were the names they gave her then she should wear them with honor and with courage and with grief. As well as any other names that she found were bestowed on her in the past, she would wear them all with nobility.

"I told you, Ori, you did nothing wrong," Rylee said softly, taking his hand and allowing him to help her to her feet. She cleared her throat and met his eye. "You actually make a lot of sense, and what you said might help me deal with some of this."

She turned and motioned for him to join her as she made her way back to camp. Ori nearly sighed in relief. He was worried that he did irreparable damage to a friendship that was barely begun.

Rylee didn't say anything for a moment as they walked back into camp. An idea popped into her mind and she wondered if it would be a good idea to ask it of him. Before she could ask, her toe caught a stone embedded in the dirt and she toppled forward. With her mind always prepared for battle, she rolled forward and jumped up stealthily, brushed herself off and kept walking as though she didn't fall at all. Ori started to chuckle.

She turned to him eyes wide, her heart thundering a mile a minute. She looked up from brushing off her breaches and asked, "What's so funny?"

"You!" Ori grinned at her, "I mean you were walking, then you tumbled and boing! You were up like a frog on a lily pad."

He mimicked her actions and Rylee chuckled, "Frog, huh?"

"A frog, like Bob," Ori grinned and nodded.

"Speaking of Bob, you should have seen me sailing through the air after Mikhaul tossed me. I was as elegant as an Oliphant in a tea house." Rylee said in all seriousness. Then she whistled, and motioned with her hands, depicting the arc of her trajectory, before mimicking a splashing sound. Her eyes sparked in her otherwise straight face and made Ori chuckle at her expense. She had not told them how it happened. They only saw the aftermath. "I came up spitting slough mud, if I were to imagine the taste of Orc shit, then that would be about it. It was awful! When I finally came out, there was goop everywhere and there were even a couple of fish and poor Bob up my sleeves."

She was acting out her actions as she talked and Ori was in fits, he had to stop to hold his sides. Rylee watched him in amusement and kept telling her tale, "So I went to pick up Bob, and he bounced hitting me square in the face and I fell back on my arse. Can you imagine? Rylee, War Maiden of The Valar, laid out by a frog! Then as I lay there, looking up at the sky, that cheeky Bob jumps on my face and 'Corocks' at me!"

"He likely told you that even someone as small as he, can take down a mighty warrior," Ori said through deep breaths as he calmed back down.

"He sounds like a Hobbit to me," Rylee said with a nod.

"Bob reminds you of Bilbo?" Ori asked her with an odd expression.

"No! Um, yes, but no?" Rylee frowned, the image of a black haired Hobbit slipped through her mind, but before she could grasp it, it was gone. She whimpered and looked at Ori desperately, "He reminds me-, he reminds me of someone that I don't remember."

Ori's look changed to one of concern, "You don't remember? Does this have to do with Scatha?"

"Aye, I think so, but I am not certain," She shook her head and the thoughts away. She looked at Ori and said, "I have a favor to ask of you."

"A favor? Of me?" Ori asked incredulously as they approached the outskirts of camp. "What could I possibly do for you?"

"How much of Arda's history do you know? It would be nice to know a little more about the past, since I missed so much of it. I was thinking it might help me cope with everything, if I knew what happened since I, -well since I last remember," Rylee looked at him hopefully, "If you could give me lessons in history, in return I would of course teach you the original runes of Khuzdul."

Kili watched them walk back into camp and was not at all happy to see them so close to each other. Watching and listening to their interactions made him envious. He was not used to feeling so possessive of another. The envy grew even more profound when he saw them chatting and laughing together. While her soft laughter eased the tension of the entire company, it only frustrated Kili, he wanted to be the one to make her smile and laugh. He wanted to be the one to bring her joy and to calm her and to soothe her when she needed him. When he heard her request he tensed for a long moment. Kili watched her face and saw it so full of hope and his heart hurt. Did she prefer Ori?

"You want me to work with you?" It was Ori's turn to be surprised. "I suppose I know quite a bit, I have been apprenticing in the libraries of Ered Luin for years, but what about your archery lessons?"

"I have time to do both, Ori, besides, it is vital to exercise both body and mind." Rylee told him quietly.

Kili wavered, and turned to take his seat beside Fili. It was hard enough getting her to commit to practicing with him as it was, how would it be with others taking up her time? He sighed, Rylee was her own person, and if she felt that she needed history lessons with Ori, then he would support that. As long as Rylee wasn't going to forgo lessons with him, he had no problem with her working with Ori. He just hoped that it was nothing more than friendship between them. Too many times he lost the affections of a Dwarrowdam the moment a Dwarf with a thicker, longer beard came by. He was hoping that Rylee was different.

"So I will teach you history and you will teach me Ancient Khuzdul?" Ori asked as he felt his excitement grow, he always wanted to learn the old runes. It was a lifelong goal to learn the language of the First Age, who better to teach him than a queen from that time period?

"Aye, but stop calling it ancient, it makes me feel old, and I am younger than you." Rylee told him. She grabbed her journal and her quill from her pack, which she left beside Thorin earlier.

She picked up the pack and put it near her bedroll, then turned back to the fire and noticed that Fili's and Kili's bedrolls were set up near hers. Every night the pair seemed to be maneuvering their bedrolls closer and closer to hers. At first she tried to shrug it off as nothing, but as each night passed, they kept moving closer to her and Mikhaul. She looked around camp and realized that she was in the most secluded corner, Fili's and Kili's bedrolls were closest to hers then three more bedrolls fanned out in an arch of a circle, Thorin, Balin and Dwalin. Bloody dwarves and their protective nature, they had created a barrier for her. The rest of the company had their belongings spread haphazardly in every direction.

"How long have they been doing this Mikhaul?" Rylee whispered to the great bearded mare, who was happily munching on grass.

"Since before Esgaud," Mikhaul said, when Rylee indicated the bedrolls carefully situated around hers. "You mean you have not noticed?"

Rylee shook her head and frowned in frustration. What was wrong with her that she had not even noticed such a thing happening around her? She was usually so much more observant. "I am more out of sorts than I thought."

"Out of sorts? Have you ever been In Sorts?" Mikhaul teased her, snorting with mirth. Rylee was used to being by herself in camp, for her to have others watching for her, it was new. "The real question is, are you going to give Kili your token, or not?"

"I – I don't know," Rylee whispered, the question caught her off guard. She wasn't certain.

"Either you court him or you don't Rylee," Mikhaul admonished her. Days before, Mikhaul confessed that Kili was asking her for courting advice, and that she was telling him about how the dwarves of the First Age tried to catch and keep Rylee's attention. "He has no access to a forge, so the next step is yours."

"I will, I will, - I don't know if I have the courage to ask him." Rylee's said below her breath. Her eyes flicked to the brothers, who sat at the fire talking to each other, and she wondered why Kili would want to know how to court her. Thorin alluded to the fact that he was a notorious flirt before they even left for their quest. She could see that side to him. Sometimes he flirted heavily with her, and the next he was off with Fili hunting, or goofing off with Bofur. He went from asking her for a kiss one day and the next he was showing off while sparring with Fili. He asked her to do things with him, showed interest in what she was doing, or tried to engage her in conversation. Or he would outright ignore her as though she did not exist, like he was doing now.

In the First Age the Dwarf would show his intent by showing the Dwarrowdam he could provide for her, hunting, fighting, creating. Flirting, kissing and even hair touching was acceptable if both parties enjoyed it. If the suit was not contested by their kin, then the Dwarf would present a token that held meaning for the pair. It would signify his strengths, his honor, his family and his wealth. It would show the Dwarrowdam that he could provide for her. In return she would ask to exchange courting braids. Upon occasion, if the situation warranted, it would be the Dwarrowdam who would create the token, and the Dwarf would ask for the exchange of braids. From there the couple would arrange the wedding together.

She didn't even know how to go about courting in this Age. All she knew was that the Dwarrowdam was supposed to make the first move. The whole idea of asking him, terrified her. She was almost relieved that Kili was following First Age customs, that he was chasing her like Durin and his friends did in the First Age, and showing her that he was interested. It gave her time to think about what she wanted. She knew that hers was the next move. She wondered if she should give him the token that she was making. Thorin himself said that Kili could break her heart, and that he would toy with her if she allowed it. What if he was just looking for someone to flirt with? Would he be so callous as to toy with her even knowing that she would fade? So did she give him the token when it was finished? Or not?

Mentally shaking away the thoughts, she returned to Ori's side, with journal in hand. She sat beside him at the fire. "How should we go about this? I can start by teaching you the old runes."

"Why don't I tell you one of our stories each night and you can write it in original Khuzdul, then I can try to cipher it?" Ori suggested to her as they sat together.

"I have a better idea, you can cipher my journal, and I will help you as you need it." Rylee smiled softly at the scribe as she offered him her journal. It was a different journal than the one she showed Kili, this one was bound in black leather and had strange glyphs engraved into the cover. He gave her a shy smile in return and handed her his journal, "and while we are on the road you can tell me the History of Middle-Earth as you know it."

"You will still make time for your archery lessons will you not?" Ori asked her sheepishly, looking up and meeting Kili's glare.

"Of course, I will never get the arrow closer to the target if I don't practice. If you teach me history while on the road, then it won't cut into my evenings at all, and you can concentrate on ciphering the runes when your other chores are completed, you can ask me questions if you need assistance." Rylee smiled softly, she loved spending time with Kili, as much as she hated it. Spending time with Kili was sweet torment and a silent guilty pleasure, one that she was barely able to admit to herself. She opened Ori's journal and found pictures of their entire company drawn within, including her and Mikhaul, along with detailed daily accounts of their journey.

Ori looked over her shoulder as she flipped through the pages, skimming the stories, he reached over and slyly flipped to a page in the middle with her and Kili and Fili. Rylee started to laugh, it was from the night that they talked of sword play, Rylee was giving Kili a sly grin, and Fili was pounding Kili on the back. After spending weeks on the road together, it still struck her how much Fili resembled Durin, even in his most simple actions. While Kili was, well Kili, even when choking at her play on words, he was handsome beyond anyone she ever met. She looked up at him through her eyelashes, and met his gaze, hooded and hungry, like a hawk after a rabbit. That look made her feel warm and fuzzy inside, her heart began to race. She looked back down at the page, pretending not to be effected.

She read the quick entry of events that went with the picture and found them both amusing and accurate, some day others would read the scribe's work and it would be turned into legend, "Very nice work Ori. I like the fact that your version of events is quite accurate. You are an exceptional scribe."

There was another of Rylee as a Bog Beast, and she nearly choked at seeing herself from someone else's eyes. She chuckled lowly, "Oh! Wow, I had no idea how terribly monstrous I looked! No wonder Fili and Kili nearly lost their eyeballs! You even drew Bob!"

"You really seemed to like that frog," Ori smirked looking up from her journal.

"Bob was a great frog!" Rylee nodded enthusiastically as her mirth faded, "alas, there is no room for a small fat frog like Bob on a quest like ours, even if he could best me in a battle. I hope Yavanna watches over him, and he is okay in his new home."

Ori turned the page to a slightly longer version of the story of the Last Alliance, or as she would call it a battle against Sauron. Rylee started to read. Ori was curious as she read through his journal, so he opened hers and found nothing but blank pages. He looked up at her in confusion and she met his eyes, and gave him a sheepish grin before she flipped to the middle of the journal where all of her notes on her quests were hidden. She noticed how Ori's eyes widened in surprise. There were pictures of each dragon, their estimated dimensions, and notes on how each of them was killed in minute detail. Not that he would know that yet. "Your hand is very fine, Rylee, it looks as though I may need to start from scratch, very little is familiar."

Rylee pulled a paper free from the back of her journal and set the two books across her knees. "You cannot share this information until you have properly translated the runes. I want no more false tales about these monsters."

"I understand," Ori said softly, he realized that she was giving him a gift of knowledge beyond anything that he could ever have imagined. "You are doing this more for me than you, aren't you? Dwarves are not known for their history record keeping."

"I am aware that Dwarves are a solitary people, and your view of the world will reflect that, but Dwarvish history is just as important to me as the history of the rest of Middle-Earth." Rylee conceded, with a small smile. She changed the subject and started to draw out a table and wrote several runes across the top of the page. "Here, you can use Glaurung as a key in order to make a cipher table. Much has changed over the Ages. For example, you have it written here like this, where as I would write it as so."

"I would not have thought such a familiar name would have changed that much over time," Ori said as he looked at the difference in the rune formations. He had so many questions. Were all of her dragons in the book? She had over fourty beads now, and from the looks of it there were even more pages than that filled up in the book.

"Technically I don't think it has, I think it is more the fact that it has been slanged over the years. Some runes have been simplified and others expanded." Rylee said as she showed him a few more examples of her meaning. The two put their heads together and discussed the change in language until the light faded.

Kili didn't take his eyes off of Ori as he and Rylee discussed the difference in runes over the Ages. Lucky for the scribe he kept his hands on the papers and on the pencils, and his attention on the Runes that they were discussing. After having held her as they rode on the back from the dragon hunt Kili was even more possessive of her, especially after she told him her confessions. The idea of someone else holding her like he did made him burn up inside, he wanted her for himself.

Kili watched them carefully and turned to Fili, "You don't think she likes him do you?"

"Of course she likes him," Fili said with a small grin, trying purposely to get a rise out of his brother. Kili stiffened beside him, becoming defensive. Finally he chuckled and finished his thought, "She likes everyone in the company. Especially Bombur, but that's because he feeds her."

"Not funny Fili, it's just hard enough to spend time with her as it is." Kili sighed glumly, watching Rylee point something out to Ori in her journal. "Now she is to have even more distractions. It just seems every time we make a connection she retreats, she is more skittish than a spring colt."

"How so?" Fili inquired quietly.

"Well, I told you everything that's happened, except what she said on the way back from the dragon. She was exhausted and confessed that she feels passionately about me," Kili said with a small grin as he remembered holding her against him. "She told me that I make her feel warm. And that I am distracting."

Fili shook his head in mock annoyance, and glared at his younger brother, "She confessed these things to you and you worry she likes Ori? Kili you are daft!"

"How am I supposed to feel? She has been avoiding me ever since. And then there are these dreams of hers, and she has been in a foul mood ever since we killed that dragon. I just don't like how suddenly they are close friends. All he told her was that she should honor the fallen by not mocking herself." Kili replied glumly. Ori was smart, sweet tempered, he grew out his beard and didn't sheer it off. He made her laugh earlier. Kili wanted to be the one to put a smile on her face. He wanted to be the one to bring her to laughter. He didn't want to share her with anyone.

"This is a sharing of intellect and nothing more," Gandalf said with a knowing smile from behind them. Kili was startled out of his thoughts. "She was well sought in her third life. I have seen her put greater men and dwarves in their place more times than I have fingers, toes, and appendages, and often not very gently either. She can swear like a wayfarer in every language. You savagely insulted her, Kili, and she was actually quite kind and congenial in her response to you."

"Oh, I can just imagine," Fili said with a grin, "considering what she said about Uncle the other night."

Thorin shot Fili a halfhearted glare for bringing up her insult to him and then looked sharply at the wizard. "I wonder where she learned such foul language."

"Don't look at me, I discovered that trait when I met her for her second life," Gandalf smirked.

Bombur called them to supper and just like every night Rylee ate her fill then sighed, placed her spoon into her bowl and looked at it, and as usual it was taken from her hands. This time it was Fili who took the bowl, and then Kili stole it from Fili and downed the last half of the bowl. Their tussle over her leftovers made the rest of the company laugh and Rylee just shook her head with a wry grin, she made her tea and once it was gone she bid everyone good night. Too much emotional upheaval over the course of the evening had her completely exhausted.

Kili watched from beside his brother as she bade the company a good sleep, and went to her place beside Mikhaul. He caught her gaze twice, enjoying the upward curve of her lips each time he winked at her before she closed her eyes and went to sleep. It was not much longer before he climbed into his bedroll beside hers and watched her sleep. She once said that she never found her One in her past lives. She didn't say anything about this life, but then, why would she declare such a thing in midst of the entire company? A declaration of love that profound was usually done in private. He closed his eyes dreaming of her confessions to him, and claiming his Mithril Queen.

Fili woke him later that night and Bofur stood by Rylee watching over her. Fili and Kili both joined him watching Rylee laying flat on her back, arms at her sides. Once again she was stuck inside her mind and unable to escape the monsters that held her there. She whimpered, louder than the last few nights, and her hand twitched, slowly closing into a fist.

"She is fighting against the hold of whatever has her in its grasp." Bofur said quietly, as Rylee's foot twitched as though she was trying to kick or run.

"At least she is fighting," Kili whispered softly as he moved to wake her up, "She is better than she was last night."

Bofur and Fili moved off to their bedrolls for a few more hours of sleep and Kili touched Rylee's shoulder. Her eyes popped open, and there was the smallest spark of light in her stormy grey eyes. "Was it as bad?"

"Nay, you were still trapped, but we could see you fighting it," Kili said softly. He held out his hand for her, "Come, it's time for our watch. I already sent Fili and Bofur to bed."

Rylee took his hand and he pulled her to her feet. She rolled up her bedroll and packed it away, there was no need for it for the remainder of the night, so there was no point leaving it out to tempt her. She grabbed her weapons and joined Kili at their look out spot. They sat back to back for the most part, not talking, upon occasion one of them would leave to scout the area to ensure there was nothing sneaking up on them from the shadows.

It was mid watch before Kili garnered the courage to ask, "Are you really okay, Rylee? These dreams, they are tearing you apart from the inside out."

"It's one dream Kili, the same dream over and over again. There are parts that I think might be memory, others that are obviously irrational fear, parts that I am sure are part of my quest, and then there is Him." Rylee said, she leaned back, and found Kili behind her. She turned and looked up to find him sitting in a half twist so he looked down at her.

"Him? Who is Him?" Kili said quietly, he was afraid that he would push her even further away, but he genuinely wanted to know.

"Sauron," Rylee whispered, he could feel her shiver behind him as she said the name. "Is it possible that he can see me in my dreams?"

"I don't know Rylee. I just know that when you told me that you would never fall as he did, I believed you. I still believe you." Kili promised her, he still wished he could take back what he said to her. "So what happened earlier? You were holding it together and then you were not."

"Hearing everyone's questions, talking about the dragon and with my own questions spinning inside my mind, it all feels wrong," Rylee whispered back, she was purposely trying to keep her voice from traveling over the camp. "Ever since my argument with Thorin, things are not good in my head. I have not encountered a single beast or creature of darkness since killing Esgaud. And this whole business with Esgaud and Scatha, I just don't know how to handle any of it. It's like I have lost a part of myself somewhere and I know not where to find it. I feel broken."

"And when it gets too much? When you can no longer contain the pain behind your mask, what happens then Rylee?" Kili whispered, he lifted his hand to her face and touched her chin gently, "I offer you my shoulder if you want it."

"Thank you, Kili, I am okay for now, but -," Rylee met his eyes and fell into the deep dark depths for a breathless moment. She swallowed her fear and promised, "But I will come to you next time I need a shoulder."

His fingertips grazed gently over the silky skin of her chin and throat, her eyes fluttered closed for a moment and a soft sigh rose from her throat. He kissed her, before she could move away, just a simple brush of his lips over hers. She didn't pull away, so he kissed her again, just as gently, slowly. He pulled away and slowly traced her jaw-line from ear to chin, she whispered under her breath, "I should not let you do this, Kili."

"Why do you hide your emotions?" He could not help the question, it just popped out. Rylee sighed and pulled away, she turned back to look out over the camp and he regretted the words the moment he said them out loud.

Rylee gave him every possible mixed signal fathomable. She shot down Fili's advance within moments of meeting him and gave all of her attention to Kili. Then she allowed him to hold her in his arms, several times. When he pushed her away, she put on all the brakes, and built walls against him. She let him kiss her after their first lesson with the bow, and then she avoided him for days on end. After the dragon, she admitted that he affected her, like she did him. Since then she pulled away again and the walls rose higher and higher, she kept her distance and avoided him. He saw the pattern forming and knew that after tonight, the closeness they shared, she was going to pull away again, even if it was only two simple sweet kisses. She was the most skittish female he had ever met.

"Habit more than anything, in the courts of the First Age it was best if no one knew what I was thinking. I was lucky that Thorin taught me how to hide my thoughts," Rylee whispered after a long moment, "Being a leader is a huge responsibility, making decisions that will determine the lives of those around you, it is not an easy task. Removing the mask is much harder than putting it on, most days it is the only thing that holds me together. I have forgotten who I am."

"You do not have to hide anymore, Rylee, regardless of that crown," Kili said softly, as gently as he could, not wanting to spook her, "With us you can just be free, no expectations, no leadership responsibilities, it is just you on a quest with a company of dwarves. Really, if there is anyone who can help you find yourself, it is us. Set down the mask and let us help you to remember who you are."

"I don't know if I can, Kili," Rylee whispered, she sounded so completely defeated.

"You can, I know you can," Kili told her as he looked up at the stars, comparing them to Rylee's beautiful eyes. They were cold in comparison, her eyes were electric and sparkled with life, while the stars twinkled steadily in the dark night sky, "You are the most determined Dwarrowdam I know, if anyone can do it, it is you."

She rose and walked away, scouting through the darkness for any sign of threat, when she returned she set herself on the opposite side of camp, axes in hand alert for danger. He pulled out the dagger she gave him, admiring the blue tint to the metal and brushing his thumb over the name, 'hush'. Wondering for the millionth time, why would Mahal have Rylee give him such a gift. Was it only to help kill a dragon?


	13. Naughty or Nice

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either. I own only my OC's.**

**Many thanks for the reviews Axle Beau, ****zZhell-butterflyZz, ****ro781727, and RagdollPrincess****. I do love reviews, so please let me know what you think. **

**So this chapter was supposed to be part of the previous one, but the chapter grew to such lengths (15,500 words) that I had to split it. Then I had to tweak it to make it happen on a different day. So I pulled out my timeline calendar and chose a day that would work nicely. Then it grew some more. After all the angst, I figured it was time for some levity.**

**Thanks ****for the follows and favorites.**

**Love you all so much!**

Chapter 13

Naughty or Nice

May 20

"I still feel nothing out here, Mikhaul," Rylee said in confusion, as they rode away from the company to go find a place to burn and do another fire cleanse. Her nightmares were still the same, she was still fighting, but the dreams remained the same, looping over and over again, keeping her in their grip. So she went to burn each day, to try to find clarity and to cleanse her spirit. Every night she was told that it was easier and easier to wake her.

"I know, it has been oddly peaceful since you and Kili destroyed Esgaud." Mikhaul whispered into her mind. "It really does not make any sense."

"Regardless, we will keep our senses open. There is no point in being ambushed." Rylee sighed, they found a nice pool of fresh water in the middle of a dense forested area, they were well ahead of the Company, but still in the general direction of the Great East Road.

Rylee set up camp quickly, setting a fire pit, starting her fire, pulling out her metal working kit. The token was almost complete. She just had to set the scales within the metal and it would be done. She got to work, heating and working the metal and finally inlaying each one of the tiny pieces of scale that she painstakingly carved by hand. It took the majority of the afternoon for the work to be completed and she tempered the metal, allowing it to cool and harden. Finally complete, she set it aside and stood stretching her arms wide and arching her back. She undressed and dropped her clothes in a pile beside the river, so she could wash them later.

Mikhaul was watching her intently as Rylee stepped into the center of her fire. "Eru, creator of all, please hear my prayer. Help me to clean the darkness from my heart and soul, help me burn away the shadows in my heart. Help me find my path, please help me find my place in the world once again."

The flame crawled up and over her body, filling her, fueling her, caressing her. Soon she was nothing but the deep red flame that her title was named for. Rúnyatári was Quenya for Queen of Red Flame. The crown that graced her brow had it written in the runes. She wondered what her role would be in this new time, should she survive her quest. The possibility of surviving was so minimal, the odds were low. She already died three, possibly four, times. How was she to live fully if she didn't know if she would even survive?

She thought about that for a moment as the flames washed through her, there was no mortal who knew when their end might come. Not Man, not Dwarf, nor even Elf, knew when their end might come. Life was not a guarantee, of all people she knew this, so why was she allowing the darkness to fill even a portion of her heart and soul? Since when was she so jaded?

She began to sing, allowing the emotions that filled her to pour out. No thought, no reflection, just emoting every raw and powerful feeling. Allowing the release of tension to flow from her, reveling in the sensation of each as it flickered through her. Pain, hate, rage, betrayal, sorrow, regret, worry, fear, they tore her apart from the inside and she allowed the feral animal inside of her to immerse itself within the dark energy. The darkness built and built to the point where angry tears bit her cheeks as they fell from her eyes. She let the song build with the gloom and pull her into obscurity, threatening to pull her into the night forevermore.

She closed her eyes and let herself fade, but as she did one image filled her mind. Kili, as he watched her hungrily, kissing her, one hand pulling her hard against him, and the other gliding up to cup her breasts. Her song changed as she relished in the feel of him against her, the way she responded to his touch, the way the languid warmth filled her from fingers to toes. The now familiar heat of desire that filled her belly whenever he was near her, made her burn with an intensity that she would never reach by standing within a flame. She gasped as she imagined standing before him naked, his eyes lighting across her body, him pulling her into his arms. Smoldering embers burned deep inside of her as she flared with a new fire. Her song was ripe with passion and desire and need and love. Suddenly the song ended and she collapsed into the coals of the fire that was now spent.

"What was that?" Mikhaul asked as Rylee crawled weakly out of the fire pit.

"I don't know," Rylee whispered hoarsely, "I have never felt anything so intense."

"Your flame turned white," Mikhaul told her softly with a concerned snuffle, "just for a second, right at the end."

"That's never happened before, the emotions were so much different, I nearly gave into the darkness, and then -," She stopped and stood on shaky legs and realized that she was covered in soot and ash and thick drawn lines of the charcoal that she fell into. "Then I saw Kili and everything changed. The emotions were so pure, and well, needy. I have never felt so warm Mikhaul."

"He is your One, Rylee, stop fighting it," Mikhaul huffed low in her throat. It was a sound that meant Mikhaul was thinking deeply about something.

Rylee stumbled to the pool, the cold water waking her up just enough to keep her from passing out in the water. Once she finished bathing she climbed back out to dress in her clean clothes. She barely put on her outer tunic before she passed out on top of her towel, completely exhausted.

It was hours later when Mikhaul nudged her awake and they cleaned up the camp. Rylee's mind was filled with questions, why did the darkness try to consume her so fiercely? She nearly succumbed to the sway of the dark fire that burned inside of her, and right when she was on the cusp, it changed. Her only thought was that her One had the power to lift her out of the darkness she was in, and she was continually pushing him away. She bit her lip as she thought about this, picking up the completed token, she examined it for flaws and found none. It was complete. The one question she had been asking herself for days rose once again in her mind. Did she give it to him?

She sighed and packed it away, they needed to get back to the others. Once they were finally making their way back to the company, Rylee let her thoughts wander over the contents of her nightmare. From the fight against the twined dragons of silver and gold, did she fail a quest? Was she actually here earlier in the Third Age? Why did she not remember it? Why did she only see flashes of this gold dragon? Not even a full picture of the beast, just a flicker of golden scale and green underbelly. The silver beast she knew was Esgaud. She recognized him.

Sauron scared her, his seduction was so pure, so taunting. He was so powerful, and she felt so small against that power. The beasts stopped coming after her after Esgaud was destroyed. The beasts stopped right after she started having these vile dreams. Was it because he no longer needed the beasts to be his eyes and ears? Was it because Sauron could see her? A shiver ran down her spine as she thought about the power that Sauron would have over her if he could see into her mind.

She needed to ask Gandalf about this. "Mikhaul, I need to talk to Gandalf."

"We are just about there, Rylee, only a few more miles." The great black mare told her as she began to sprint full out, towards the company.

Mikhaul was true to her word. They broke out of the forest like a silent black shadow and came upon them from the rear. They didn't stop to say hello to anyone as they raced up to Gandalf on his sable mare, but their sudden approach nearly felled Ori, Bilbo and Oin from their saddles as they startled them. Rylee and Mikhaul ignored their cries of protest as they went by.

"Gandalf can Sauron see into a person's dreams?" Rylee asked him as they slowed to a walk beside him.

"Oh, you are back, Rylee," Gandalf said looking up at her with twinkling eyes. He did not seem surprised at all to see them. "No, I do not believe he has that power. Why do you ask?"

"I wonder if I should be worried that he can see me through these dreams, as I see him," Rylee kept her voice low, "If he can, then I worry about the Company, they are not safe with me."

"Rest assured Rylee, he cannot see you as you see him," Gandalf smirked at her and she quirked an eyebrow in response. "You see him as you last remember him. You told me that was your hunt when you were proven Battle Ready at thirty, if I am not mistaken."

"Uh, Aye, when I was permitted to hunt again, it was a hunt against Thuringwethil," Rylee nodded quietly. She did not tell him that she was proven battle ready long before her thirtieth winter. "While I killed Thuringwethil, Lúthien and Huan were able to infiltrate Angband using the vampire's form as a disguise. They were able to subdue Sauron. I saw him change from his fair face, to a werewolf, then to a vampire."

"Is that the face you see in your dreams?" Gandalf asked knowingly.

"The fair face? Yes, why?" Rylee nodded, looking at her long time guide and friend.

"He has not been able to take a Fair Face since the fall of Númenor." Gandalf informed her with a small smile. "That tells me that it must be a trick in your mind, like the fall of the Valar."

"That part of the dream, I know is fallacy," Rylee said with a small snort. "They are much too powerful to be taken down by either Morgoth or Sauron. I know that Beleriand fell. It was in my dreams long before I helped kill Ancalagon. It was the only path that would help the Valar to imprison Morgoth. Every other path led to the destruction of the world. The dragons and the loss of the company in the dream does not bother me so much either, they are part of this quest. I am to find what I am missing and I am to change their fates. It is plain to me that I am to prevent those deaths from happening. No, it is the call of the darkness that haunts me most."

"So regardless of what I told you, you still worry that he can see into your dreams?" Gandalf shook his head. She always was stubborn and set in her ways.

"I know it is irrational, Gandalf, and likely foolish to think so, but Aye, I still worry." Rylee sighed in frustration at herself and her own doubts. They fell into silence once again, but Rylee was troubled. Ever since the dragon, not one beast came near them, everything seemed quiet, too quiet. To keep her mind off of it, she changed the subject, "Tell me what happened since the fall of Beleriand. Ori knows the tales from a Dwarf perspective, and that is great, but he knows nothing of my friends from the First Age."

"What would you like to know, a great deal has happened since the end of the First Age." Gandalf said thoughtfully. "I am not even certain that I can tell you everything you would like to know."

Ori spent a small portion of the morning telling her some of the Dwarven history of the Second Age, which helped her deal with the feelings of loss and grief. Learning about the history of Arda, after the War of Wrath, was a balm to her soul. It helped to assure her that good things came from her actions, not just the destruction of Beleriand. Yes, she played a part in it, but so did every other Elf, Dwarf and Man that was present at the time. The Second Age and the battles within it were fascinating, but it was all from a Dwarf perspective and that meant that the fates of her friends were left in question.

"Who survived, who did not, who yet lives. I know nothing of this and I would like to know." Rylee sighed thinking of all the things that she didn't know. "You said that Sauron has not worn a Fair Face since the fall of Númenor, what or who is Númenor?"

"Númenor was an island to the west built for the Great Human Warriors, at the end of the First Age. Their first King was Elros, he and Elrond were given the choice to live as either men, or elves. Elrond chose to live his life as Elven Kind and Elros chose the path of Man Kind." Gandalf told her the brief version of the history, "Elros was around Five Hundred years old when he passed. His kingdom was passed down through his descendants. Unfortunately Sauron's taint corrupted the kingdom and it fell near the end of the Second Age. The few survivors faithful to the Valar fled to Middle-Earth after the fall, led by Elendil and his sons, Isildur and Anárion. They founded the realms of Arnor and Gondor. Their successors are now the warriors called the Dúnedain. Many of their number serve Middle-Earth as Rangers, keeping the peace and rooting out evil in the world."

"Elendil is the one who helped Gil-galad destroy Sauron, and Isildur took the ring, yes?" Rylee asked as she tried to wrap her head around this information. It was a blessing and a curse that Elros lived and yet was gone from the world. While she was glad that he had the choice to live as man or Elf, she still would miss him. It sounded to her that her friend fathered a long line of great men and women, who still fought for the good in the world, he would be proud of that accomplishment.

"Yes, though I must tell you that Gil-galad died in that encounter, Sauron burned him, and he fell on the battlefield. Elendil, too, passed in that battle, they were lucky to destroy Sauron as they did." Gandalf told her, he quieted for a long moment then he said, "Isildur died some years later."

Rylee sat in sad recollection of her memories of the great warrior Gil-galad. He was a great king. She made him a lance, many years ago as a gift. It was very unfortunate that the world lost such a great and just King. He was younger than she was when he ascended to the throne, older than she when she returned for her third life. Her advisors tried to push her into marrying him, and both she and Gil-galad said no. They were friends, but nothing more.

"Aeglos," Rylee whispered to herself in remembrance. She sighed softly. He was a master with that weapon. None could stand before him. Even she sparred with him and found him to be her equal in battle, which was a rare occurrence. "Gil-galad wields a well-made spear, The Orc will fear my point of ice, When he sees me, in fear of death, He will know my name: Aeglos"

"How do you know what is written on his lance?" Gandalf asked in surprise.

"I made that lance for him, in Elorin's forge. Elorin spent hours trying to find some fault with it, so he could find reason to bar me from his forge." Rylee chuckled at the fond memory. "I also made two swords, several long Orc daggers, and some iron throwing knives. When I made the weapons I didn't even know who they were for, until I met them. The knives were for me, I still wear them."

"Which quest was that? I know it was not the third one, Elorin let you come and go as you pleased, if I do recall," Gandalf smiled thinking about the five years he spent with Rylee in the First Age.

"The first quest, I was in need of clarity and Elorin's forge was the best forge in the city of Gondolin. It was in that forge that I learned that I was to seek out Turgon and a young warrior named Gil-galad. Elorin was not happy when I took over his forge for a week, but he came around," Rylee smirked at Gandalf as her eyes lit, and then dimmed, "The second time I took over his forge, I learned that it was Turin I needed to find to go after the dragon. Elorin, is he -?"

"I have not seen Elorin since I arrived in Middle-Earth, if he lives, I have not come across him," Gandalf said quietly. Rylee sighed sadly and went quiet. Gandalf didn't want her to lose hope, "Your friends may yet live Rylee, just because I have not seen them, does not mean that they did not survive. You know that most half breeds are not well accepted in common society."

"This I know too well," Rylee hummed in agreement. No, Elorin and Elihara were shunned by both Elves and Dwarves. Few people of Middle-Earth accepted them, only Rylee and a few of her closest friends. "But, what of Elrond? You said that he chose to live as an Elf. Does he survive?"

"Aye, he was there at the Battle of the Last Alliance," Gandalf nodded happy to move on to happier topics. Or so he thought, "After Sauron fell, and Isildur took the ring, Elrond returned to Imladris."

"The ring," Rylee said as a prickly sensation of darkness climbed her spine, "If Isildur died, what happened to it?"

"It was lost," Gandalf confessed uneasily, looking across at her. Rylee turned and looked right back at him, giving him a hard look.

"So this great and terrible ring could be out there anywhere, corrupting the world? And darkness is growing?" Rylee whispered looking back at the others, "It needs to be found and destroyed!"

"We know this, Rylee, we are looking for it," Gandalf said quietly, feeling a little more relaxed at her response. "Believe me, we are doing our utmost effort to find, and destroy, all of Sauron's devices."

It was then that Thorin called to make camp and their conversation was cut short. Rylee nearly swore in frustration, she had so many more questions. She would have to ask another day, she had chores to attend to, and original Khuzdul to teach. She unrolled her bedroll and set up her place by Mikhaul, taking off her axes and putting them under her pillow as she usually did. She removed her whip and oiled the rings, cleaned them and made sure that the blades were still in good repair.

Kili watched as she removed her weapons, cleaning and sharpening the blades, even the long dagger she hid under her axes came off and ended up on her bedroll. Her movements were thoughtful and precise, as though she was lost in the movement of her work. A small frown marred her face. Rylee seemed to be in yet another low mood. Since the night of her break down, her smiles were still few and far between. Though she was still fighting the hold that her dreams had on her, she was not free yet. They still had to wake her for watch. Kili was concerned about her. She promised that she would come to him if she needed his shoulder, but she was once again keeping her distance. Just like he thought would happen. What would it take for her to trust him?

As Rylee grabbed her journal and joined Ori for his lesson in First Age Khuzdul, Kili grabbed his sword and turned to his brother, "Spar with me?"

"Sure, what's on your mind?" Fili asked as they struck at each other, taking their time to go through the motions of a mock battle.

"What do you think?" Kili rolled his eyes. She was always on his mind. He could think of little else. He looked over at her, working away with Ori, going over the runes in her journal. They were discussing back and forth several of the differences in word usage and etymology.

"You know there are no customs out here on the road, you could claim her, throw caution to the wind and just ask her to be yours," Fili suggested softly.

"No I cannot," Kili shook his head, meeting his brother's eye as he parried a thrust of Fili's left hand sword. "Mikhaul has been telling me about First Age customs, the Dwarf would show his suitability and basically hunt his intended, if the couple seemed to be compatible, he would make a token, a substantial token which would hold great meaning to the couple. If the Dwarrowdam accepted the suit, it would be her move to ask for courting braids."

"So what's the problem? Give Rylee a token," Fili thrust against Kili with both swords but was soundly blocked and pushed back.

"That's the problem," Kili said glumly, "I have nothing to give her that shows her that I am worthy of her affection. All of our wealth lies back in Ered Luin, I have no access to a forge, and no way to make something that would hold meaning between us."

"So, now what?" Fili asked as he defended himself against a frustrated Kili. "Rylee could follow our customs and ask you to court her."

"She won't, though Mikhaul told me that in this case it would fall on Rylee to make a move, and if she does it will be in the standards of First Age customs," Kili attacked again only to be pushed back by Fili and his sword knocked from his hands.

"I don't think I understand what you mean," Fili waited for Kili to retrieve his sword so they could go again.

"Rylee has been making a token," Kili whispered quietly as he stood by his brother, "but she is undecided about giving it to me. I just don't know how to convince her."

Hours later, when the light was low, Rylee decided that she was done for the evening. She sat back as Ori continued to work on ciphering her dragon history, looked over the camp and thought about the journey that the Company was on. Where they had been and where they were yet to go. A tune brushed into her head, one that could be sung to the tread of venturing feet. She started tapping out the tune on her knees and started to hum.

Ori noticed that Rylee's attention was no longer on the Runes and stopped what he was doing. He watched her for a long moment as she seemed to lose herself in the beat and music that she was humming. When she finally finished he closed the journal, and handed it to her. "It is a catchy tune, Rylee."

"It is," Rylee agreed, feeling a bit sheepish, "Ori, I am sorry for being so distracted tonight,"

"That's all right. You obviously have a lot on your mind," Ori smiled softly and moved off to join his brothers.

She started humming softly to herself again and rose from her seat to put away her journal and quill. Bombur and Bofur were still working on getting dinner cooked. Everyone seemed to be in groups of two or three in deep conversation. Rylee was lost in the tune when she began to sing;

_"Rise up the road beneath my feet,_

_A journey forth to the world I greet,_

_My feet will drum as my heart shall beat,_

_Seeking friends that I may meet,_

_Upon this path I tread so fleet,_

_For adventures create a life so sweet,_

_Upon this road beneath eager feet."_

On the other side of camp Bilbo was sitting off on his own with a pile of pebbles knocking pinecones off of a fallen tree. In his youth he was a champion rock thrower, he had an exceptional arm. From the looks of his aim, he was suffering from lack of practice. He stopped and turned to listen to the song Rylee was singing, his eyes went wide. It was a song that was passed down from generation to generation of Took's. Her voice was soft and sweet, the entire camp stopped to listen, even Fili and Kili who were sparring. Rylee didn't even seem to notice. When her song ended Bilbo turned back to his rocks and tossed another stone at a hanging pine cone. Bilbo could not help but wonder how Rylee knew such an ancient walking song, a Hobbit walking song, no less.

Rylee scanned the camp and her eyes fell on Bilbo throwing his rocks. The image of the black haired hobbit passed through her mind once again. She could see the resemblance in their height, and their eyes, and the shape of their ears, and the fact that Bilbo was quite an adventurer. She remembered that the Fallohide Hobbits were the most likely to go on adventures where the Stoors and Harfoots were less likely to be seen far from their homes. How did she know these things? She watched Bilbo with open curiosity for a long moment before joining him. She rarely seemed to get the chance to talk to the Hobbit.

"Lovely evening, is it not, Bilbo?" Rylee said standing beside him.

He looked up at her in surprise and smiled, "It most undoubtedly is, Rylee, would you care to join me?"

"I would love to," Rylee said taking a seat beside him.

"The song you sang before," Bilbo looked at her curiously, "Where did you learn it?"

"I have no idea. It just came into my mind. It is meant to be sung while walking is it not?" Rylee said thoughtfully. She had a feeling that of all people in the Company, he would be the one to know of its origin.

"Well, yes, it is an ancient Hobbit walking song," Bilbo said as he picked up another rock to throw. He looked at the stone in his hand before he looked up at her, with a sad smile of happy remembrance, "My mother taught it to me when I was a child. She said it was a song of the Took's."

Bilbo turned back to look at his target. Rylee thought about what Bilbo said, 'Took', she knew that name somehow. The black haired hobbit with bright blue eyes, filtered back into her mind and she remembered him teaching her a game. A game of Rocks. She watched Bilbo for several minutes as he tossed rocks with a fair amount of accuracy at the pinecones on the fallen tree. His aim was shaky, like it would be after years of not practicing. "When was the last time you played a game of Rocks, Bilbo?"

"It has been years since I played Rocks," Bilbo sighed in dissatisfaction as he missed another pinecone. "It is a young Hobbit's game. I am surprised you know about it."

"I know many things about Hobbits, I am not certain how I know these things, but I do remember playing Rocks, with a black haired hobbit," Rylee confessed quietly. Bilbo met her eyes with a concerned look and she just shrugged in response. She was quiet for a long moment as Bilbo threw another rock and narrowly missed another pinecone. "Would you play a game against me?"

"I don't know, Rylee, I have seen your aim. You have a perfect shot." Bilbo shook his head slowly. Rylee could see the barely concealed desire in his eyes and on his face.

"Will you play me if I play backwards?" Rylee asked, trying to convince him. "I will help you with your throw, I can already tell you that you need to loosen your wrist, and your arms are too tight."

Bilbo relaxed his arms and shook out his wrist and threw again, the rock sailed steadily to its target, sending the pinecone flying. "All right, let's play. Help me make the rings?"

They worked together to set up a target on the ground that consisted of three overlapping rings, clearing the ground of rocks and debris so they could keep track of the falls of the stones they would throw. Rylee set up five posts in a half circle around the rings to bounce the rocks off of. "I think we are ready Master Baggins. You go first."

"I call post two, four, to center," Bilbo said confidently and threw his rock, it hit the second post, bounced to the fourth and landed in the middle ring. He grinned with pride and Rylee chuckled.

"I think I am about to be bamboozled. It's a good thing I didn't bet anything on this game, Bilbo." Rylee shook her head. She stood with her back to the target range, "I call post one, five, front."

She had to throw the stone with her arm wrapped around her body, and her head craned over her shoulder. She released the stone and it hit the first post, bounced, and hit the fifth before landing on the ground just outside the front ring. "Awe, Crumb Bubbly! I am out of practice."

"Crumb Bubbly?" Bilbo asked his brow arched.

"What? I am keeping it clean for innocent Hobbit ears," Rylee teased him, and Bilbo had the decency to blush at her banter. "I do not want to defile your brilliant mind with my foul mouth."

"I have heard you can swear like a wayfarer," Bilbo chuckled softly, "Where did you pick up such a habit?"

"From Durin the Deathless, or so Ori calls him," Rylee grinned thinking of the Dwarf. Her eyes flicked to Fili who was sparring on the other side of camp with Kili. "It is uncanny, the likeness between Fili and Durin. It is like he is still here, and yet Fili is entirely his own person."

"How do you mean?" Bilbo asked her with his usual genuine curiosity.

"Well, Durin was this larger than life warrior, overbearing, over proud, often overwhelming. He exaggerated every story he ever told. While Fili is much calmer, he is more relaxed and yet he is so noble and deeply intelligent. They both share the same sense of humor though, both are loyal to the end, and they look a lot alike," Rylee said with a smirk. "Though, I think Durin had a longer nose."

"That's amusing, considering that Fili has the longest nose in the company," Bilbo quipped wittily making Rylee laugh. They continued to play several rounds, Bilbo beating her five times to her four. Each shot getting progressively harder until their stones were bouncing to each of the five posts before hitting the target. Rylee finally tied the game five to five, and the next round would determine the winner. The dwarves gathered around to watch the odd game of skill.

"What are you doing, Rylee? You look like some odd crane!" Bofur asked standing beside her as she took aim at her called targets.

"If she was a crane, she would be on one foot," Bilbo retorted, he had a happy glint in his eye as he watched Rylee prepare to throw, "You should try it Rylee. I dare you!"

"Did you just dare me, Master Baggins?" Rylee said with shock, she looked at Bilbo, her eyes wide. That was a rather bold move for the usually quiet Hobbit.

"I did! I dare you to hit your targets backwards and on one foot." Bilbo said with a grin, obviously getting excited. "And, and, and – You cannot step down until you hit the bull's-eye! Or you forfeit."

"What! You are mad!" Rylee said incredulously, looking at the targets, it was hard enough hitting the posts behind her back.

"I thought you said you never backed down from a challenge," Dwalin teased her gently. From that very first day, she was always surprising them. This was the first time they ever saw her try to back down from any contest.

"Oh, I did say that, didn't I?" Rylee said as she rolled her eyes, she looked at the targets over her shoulder and back at the rock in her hand. "Fine, you are on, Bilbo, but if I am successful you have to do the same thing."

She stood with her back to the target, her rock in her hand, arm wrapped around her body preparing to throw. She slowly lifted her right leg, trying to find her balance as she put her right foot on her inner thigh. She felt shaky at best. She bit her lip and focused her concentration on her balance and her target. Taking a deep breath she let the rock fly. The rock hit the first two posts in the sequence she called and it was on its way to the third, when something nudged the back of her knee. She toppled in a heap, rolled and bounced back up and brushed herself off, just like nothing happened. Dwalin snorted and she shot him a glare.

"Bob!" Ori yelled, from the far side of the fire with his hands waving in the air, making a goof of himself. Rylee started to chuckle at the randomness of his action. The rest of the company looked on in confusion over the inside joke and Rylee only laughed harder at their expressions.

"You stepped down! I win!" Bilbo crowed happily, giving her a huge grin.

"Hey! I call obstruction on the play!" Rylee protested with a wry grin. "You, Master Baggins, owe me a rematch!"

"Thanks, Kili, she would have won, if you hadn't stepped in," Bilbo grinned at him, his eyes sparkling. Rylee stopped laughing and turned to where the Hobbit was pointing. They looked back at the targets and sure enough Rylee's stone was sitting smack dab in the bull's-eye. "It was going straight for the bulls-eye when you lost your footing."

Rylee had no point but to concede the win to Bilbo, if she had been paying attention she would have noticed someone was behind her, she should have heard them. She swung around to see Kili behind her a small smirk on his face and that sparkling troublesome glint in his eyes. Her eyes widened in shock, as she took in his cocky stance, and the crossed arms. He cost her the game! The bloody trickster! She narrowed her eyes for a moment as a plan began to form, if he wanted to play that game, she was willing to join.

"So that was your doing, was it?" Rylee grinned mischievously, catching his eye. She spied the nearly full bucket of clean cooking water. It would still be plenty cold. It was less than a foot away. She spun, grabbed it, and tossed the contents of the bucket at Kili and Fili who stood just beside him. They blinked at her, dripping water from their hair, and faces, and their clothes were completely soaked. Rylee's chuckle caught in her throat as their eyes narrowed and she knew immediately that she was in trouble. With a leap they were after her and Rylee jumped into a full out run.

She shrieked and weaved through the camp, running like a mad hare being chased by wolves. Her small frame easily ducked under the arm of Dwalin and then Thorin, as she dashed away through camp, with both Kili and Fili hot on her heels. She ran around Bombur once as she made her way through camp, making the rotund dwarf laugh as he got a look at the feral grin that graced Rylee's face.

They were trying to corner her and came close. Kili grabbed a hold of the shoulder of her thick tunic, hauling her back. She shrugged her arms up and let the tunic be pulled off of her frame and was immediately caught the same way by Fili. Again she shrugged off the Mithril Corselet that was being used to hold her back, now she was wearing only her thin tunic over her breaches and her leather boots. Seeing an escape route, she took it. There was only one way to go and that was over the cooking fire, Bombur pulled the spit away just in time. Rylee ran and jumped, launching herself up and over the fire. The flames reached up licking against her as she soared over top. Diving forward she landed on her hands, rolled, and bounced back to her feet, before running towards the safety of an open field.

It was a spectacular maneuver, but the company stepped back out of the way to clear a path for Fili and Kili. Rylee didn't go far before she was tackled unceremoniously into the ground by the soggy princes of Durin. Kili grabbed her by the waist and hauled her down with him. He rolled with her to make sure she didn't get hurt by the sudden fall. Fili landed on top of them both, dog piling them. They didn't let her up, Kili wrapped his arms around her writhing form and Fili pinned her legs.

"Now that we've caught her, what should we do with her, brother?" Fili asked with a mischievous grin. Rylee recognized that cheeky Durin grin, knowing that she was in for trouble she tried to slip their hold on her but it was little use, she knew she was well caught.

"We will do what Mother and Uncle used to do with us," Kili said with a matching look. "We tickle her to tears."

"Oh, No!" Rylee struggled harder, but they held fast, grinning down at her. Their hair and beards still shimmered with the damp, and their wet clothes clung to their skin. "No tickling!"

"We don't even know if she is ticklish," Fili scoffed his eyebrow quirking.

"She must be or she would not be making such a fuss," Kili said as he held Rylee against his chest. He could not help but think that it was where she belonged. She felt her shiver against him as he whispered in her ear, "Right, Rylee?"

"She is," Thorin said from the edge of camp, where the entire company was watching their antics. Rylee's eyes opened comically wide and she started shaking her head. Pleading for Thorin not to give up her secret, but she saw the same glint in his eyes that Mahal would get when he played this game. She knew she was doomed the moment he teased, "But only in two places."

"How do you – Oh! Mahal told you! That's not fair!" Rylee cried as she tried to wiggle out of Kili's strong arms. "No, no, no, please don't tell them!"

"Those two won't need any help, Rylee," Thorin grinned at her and her eyes widened in horror. Fili grabbed her legs to get a better grip and as he did his fingers dipped into the sensitive skin at the back of her knees. She yelped and jerked in reaction, making both brothers laugh.

"Found one!" Fili called lightly brushing his fingers over the same spot and Rylee could not stop the laugh that erupted. It was by chance that Kili found the spot on her sides, just below her ribs that sent her into gales of laughter. Fili chuckled as he announced, "Kili found the other!"

"No!" Rylee gasped between bursts of uneven laughter, "Stop!" she tried again but it ended in a shriek of uncontrolled giggles. The entire company started to laugh as Rylee lost herself to the throes of mirth.

"You think we should rescue her?" Bofur asked from beside Thorin.

"No, leave them be. Rylee needs to laugh." Thorin said with a grin, as he watched her struggle weakly against Kili as she laughed herself silly. "Besides, if she was against this, they would be in a brawl."

"Ah!" She was laughing so hard that her ribs hurt and her eyes were clenched shut. She could barely breathe with the intensity of it. Her ribs felt so tight, and she just could not seem to get any air. She pulled in a loud snort of air, and chortled even harder at the sound of it.

"Make her do it again!" Fili grinned at Kili. Twice more she snorted, making Fili and Kili laugh at her expense. They nearly let her go as they did, and Rylee tried to crawl away, but they caught her again and within seconds she was helpless once again.

They continued to tickle her until her uncontrolled giggles seemed to stop. They couldn't hear anything from her. Fili looked up at her and fell backwards laughing, his legs still tangled with hers. Rylee was laughing so hard, she lost her voice. She was in fits, and seemed to be convulsing, but she was trying to take breaths between laughter and it wasn't working. Finally she took a gulp of air and it burst back out as a cackle as she laughed, tears streaming down her face. She raised her hands in the air and signed 'surrender' in Iglishmek and finally Kili stopped tickling her and just held her in his arms. She went limp and leaned against him, struggling to catch her breath.

Rylee looked up at Kili and grinned at him, her head leaned heavily on his chest. He could not help but return her smile. She was sitting between his legs, her back to his front, and her arms resting on his thighs. His hands still lingered at her waist, just holding her against him. Sitting with her in his embrace felt like the most natural thing in all the world and Kili didn't want it to end. He lowered his face to hers and kissed her gently on the forehead. She sighed softly and leaned into him, as though she was craving his closeness as much as he needed hers. They were both oblivious of Fili, who was sitting at their feet, Rylee's legs still loosely pinned under his.

Fili watched them, a small smile spreading across his face. The two were made for each other. Why didn't they just court already? Sure there were rituals back in society, but Fili figured that they didn't quite apply with Rylee and Kili. Not out here in the wild, and not with both of them from being from different Ages. Tokens or no tokens, they should just be together now.

Rylee fell into Kili's dark eyes for a long moment, and she felt a deep longing fill her. She wanted him. Everywhere she touched him she could feel his searing touch. His warmth filled her and coiled in her belly. She could feel the blush rising in her face and she broke eye contact before she gave away all of her emotions. She looked past him and into the dark night sky beyond him, her breath caught once again. The stars were shining so brightly in the darkened sky that she could count every star and pick out each of the constellations. Happy tears filled her eyes and she whispered a prayer to Varda;

"Blessed be, Elentári, blessed be, may the starlight shine ever brightly and serve you faithfully. Blessed be, Elentári, blessed be, let the starlight mark my path and your blessings light my way."

"What was that?" Kili asked quietly, he looked down at Rylee and saw a happy contented smile on her face as she looked up at the stars. The sparks in her eyes rivaled the gems in the night sky.

"A prayer to Varda," Rylee whispered softly, "I am blessed to see the stars tonight, to see them in the heavens. They are so very beautiful."

"Do you know all the constellations Rylee?" Fili asked from beyond her feet. He was sitting up and looking up at the stars.

"Of course, Fili," Rylee sighed softly, "Varda taught me. She tried to teach me how to read them, but I am not very good at it. Jovina Malagnûna was able to read them really well. The main stars and constellations are constant and never changing. The smaller stars are the ones you must watch. When they move amongst the greater constellations they have special meanings. Most of their movements are unknown to me. They are so intricate and ever changing. I have never had the time to study them, always training and going to battle."

"What is that one?" Fili asked pointing up. He moved to his brother's side so Rylee could better see the stars he was pointing at. "The one shaped like a 'W'."

"That one there is Wilwarin, the butterfly." Rylee said looking up to where Fili was pointing. Rylee moved his hand a little to the left and continued, "That one there is Valacirca, the Sickle of the Valar. Jovina called it The Seven Stars."

There was a faint growling sound nearby and both Fili and Kili sat up, in concern. Rylee was forced to sit up straighter against Kili, as his hands dropped protectively around her belly. Fire stirred inside her at the somewhat possessive contact. She could feel the blush as it spread across her cheeks. The growl came again and Rylee's blush deepened. She made a small whimpering sound in her throat as she tried to decide what to do. She was starving and wanted food, yet she didn't want to leave Kili's arms. She looked at the concerned expression on Fili's face and a small smile curved her lips as she made up her mind. She looked up at Kili and got lost in his dark fathomless eyes.

Kili's eyes met hers as he looked down at her, leaning snuggly against his frame. Her fiery hair spilled around them and her dark grey eyes were wide and innocent as they met his. A soft pink blush filled her cheeks and a small smile lifted the corners of her lips. His heart stopped as he realized exactly how intimate they were acting at the moment. He spread his fingers, letting them brush the underside of her breasts as he pulled her against him. She released a soft "Oh" at the contact and his eyes fell to her lips, he wanted to kiss her. She was wearing so few layers that he could feel the slight curve of bone and muscle at her ribs, as well as the swell of her breasts against his fingertips. The growl came again and he felt the slight tremor under his hands.

"Did you hear that?" Fili asked looking past them towards the forest.

"Hear what?" Rylee said as she moved wide innocent eyes towards Fili.

Kili looked at Rylee, his eyebrow arching and watched as her smile widened. Fili looked back and Rylee's expression was back to being innocent and watchful. Her stomach growled again, slightly louder and more intensely, Kili had to force himself not to react when Fili said, "There it is again. Did you not hear it?"

"It's likely just a wolf, Fili," Rylee said softly looking over at the forest on the other side of them, the same direction that Fili was looking, "Nothing to be worried about."

"But the ponies," Fili's eyes grew wide as he thought about the potential danger to the ponies. Intense concern washed over his features as the growl came again. Kili could not believe his brother was falling for this trick, since it was so obvious where the noise was coming from.

"If you are so worried, Fili, go check it out," Rylee said softly. She was still leaning against Kili, his hands still brushed against her ribs and belly. Her nipples were starting to tighten and pucker as his fingertips glided against the underside of her breasts. These were sensations she never felt before, and she was stunned by the intensity and the heat and the want that came with them. Desire consumed her and the only thing she knew was that Kili was the only one who could fulfill that need. She forced herself not to move, not to react to the intimate caresses that made her ache so sweetly. Really, she should not be allowing this closeness, but being around Kili just felt so right. It was hard to remind herself to stay away from him. Hard to remind herself of Thorin's warning.

Kili tried not to laugh as the growling started again and the tremors thrummed under his fingers. Fili stood and took off toward the bushes, pulling two of his hunting knives. As soon as he was out of earshot, Rylee suddenly sat up, as she whispered, "Well that's my cue, I wonder if dinner is ready."

"That was not very nice, Rylee," Kili whispered in her ear. He was still holding her waist, this was the closest she allowed him to be to her in days, he didn't want to break the connection yet, "It was very, very naughty."

Rylee turned to face him, forcing him to let her go before kneeling between his legs. She put her hands on each of his thighs, and met his eyes. Kili swallowed, she was being oddly forward this evening and he was growing warm and aroused by her antics. He wanted to haul her against him then and there. She was being coy, and sultry and oh, so sexy. Her next words made his mouth go dry as she winked at him and whispered huskily, "Of course it was naughty, Kili, I have never claimed to be nice."

She had no idea what made her say that, and the raw dark response in his eyes thrilled her and scared her at the same time. Rylee jumped to her feet and pulled Kili with her, she held her finger to her lips telling him to be silent and they fled to the safety of the campfire. She turned back at the edge of camp, so she could watch Fili's reaction and called loudly, "Bombur! Is dinner ready yet? The beast in my belly is growling something fierce!"

Fili stopped dead in his tracks at the edge of the forest, shock flashed across his face, followed by annoyance and frustration as Rylee started to laugh. Fili shouted in frustration, "Rylee! You are a little terror!"

"So I have been told. Who do you think gave Thorin his silver hair?" Rylee teased, making the whole Company behind her laugh.

Kili could not help but laugh as Fili stowed his knives and ran back to camp. With an annoyed growl Fili grabbed Rylee around the waist and spun her around. She shrieked in outrage and hit the back of Fili's knee, forcing him to release her and they fell together in a heap. Fili met Kili's eyes with a grin, but all he said was, "Was it truly her stomach making that noise?"

"I cannot believe you fell for that," Kili said with a smirk, he offered them each a hand to help them up. Without even a glance at each other, Rylee and Fili pulled Kili to the ground between them. The company was laughing at their childish antics, as they kept pulling each other back to the ground, in their efforts to get back up. Finally, Rylee scrambled away and headed over to Bombur and the smell of food.

"Bombur, you really should feed her. Her stomach is as loud as a wolf." Fili grinned from his place beside Kili on the ground. Every time he thought he had her figured out, she did something new, and it was always when she was around Kili. It was absolutely fascinating. Fili rose and whispered softly to Kili, "Well, brother, I am certain that she still favors you. You might earn that token yet."

Kili sat for a moment watching Rylee talk to Bombur, as he relived having her in his arms, relaxed and happy. Her hair splayed out around them, looking up at him with her wide grey eyes. Or that playful, lusty look she gave him before she got up. He didn't care what kind of token she gave him. He just wanted something that would indicate that she liked him in return. He resigned himself to waiting Rylee out, so far he was doing all the chasing.

Rylee received a bowl of stew from Bombur, nearly full to the brim, where the others were filled to just above half. She looked at Bombur and shook her head, "You still give me too much, my friend."

"You keep giving it away," Bombur grinned at her and Rylee shook her head. It was the same argument at every meal. Then he winked at her and whispered, "Why do you think I give Kili so little?"

"Oh!" Rylee gasped in surprise and Bombur laughed at her. She blushed and turned to take her usual seat with Thorin.

"Feeling better, Lukhdel? Your mood has been rather low these last few days," Thorin whispered softly, bumping her shoulder gently.

"Aye, Ugshar, apparently I needed to release my inner woman, and have a mood swing," Rylee replied softly, leaning against him as she ate her food. Thorin snorted in mirth and grinned at her. Rylee was amusing. When she was an adolescent and her moods swung violently, she was absolutely beside herself, and thought for certain she was defective. It took all of the Ainu to convince her that she was in no way defective, and her moods were perfectly normal.

"So is it true Uncle?" Kili asked sitting next to Rylee as he ate his very small portion of stew. Rylee smirked and met Bombur's eyes, blushing fiercely. He winked at her with a large open smile. Apparently the round red headed cook was playing matchmaker.

"Who gave you more silver hair?" Fili clarified the question when Thorin only arched a brow at his nephews. "Us or Rylee?"

"Definitely Rylee," Thorin smirked. He nudged Rylee, who chuckled softly at their surprised responses.

She looked up at Fili and Kili, with innocent wide grey eyes. She quirked a brow and smirked, her innocent face instantly changed to one that was devilish and cunning. A wry smile lifted her lips as she asked, "You didn't honestly think it was the pair of you?"


	14. Why They Call It Falling

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, any of Tolkien's works or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either. I own only my OC's.**

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Chapter 14

Why They Call It Falling

May 23

According to Thorin's map they were well past the Weather Hills, entering the foothills of the Misty Mountains and they were making good time. The sun was already hovering over the horizon by the time they stopped for the night. It was a pretty place for a camp, just a little too high up for Rylee's comfort, and too exposed, she didn't like it and there was something about the place that made a shiver run up her spine.

Rylee spent the previous days avoiding Kili, she was trying to give herself enough space to think about what she wanted, and to keep from falling even more in love with him. Was that even possible? The depths of her emotions regarding him terrified her. When Kili approached her Rylee found something else to do yet she watched him keenly wherever he went. She was just not sure what to do. Did she give Kili the token along with her heart? Or did she keep it to herself, fulfill her quest, and allow herself to fade from the world?

This night was her archery lesson with Kili. Of everything that she had to do that kept her busy, lessons with Kili were becoming an ordeal. She was leaving each lesson even more frustrated than the one before. Unsure if it was because she was pushing Kili away, while simultaneously wanting to pull him into her arms, or because she was still missing the target. Even though the arrows were no longer grouping together in one bunch, they still pulled to the right in various degrees. Yet the moment he touched her, even on the hand, she would hit the target dead on, much to her chagrin. "There is no point to this Kili, what need is there for an archer that misses everything she aims at?"

"But you are getting better, Rylee. The arrows are not landing so far away, in fact they have moved within a few feet from the target. It is much better than your first night," Kili reminded her. Yet again she loosed an arrow and it was a mere few inches to the left of her last one.

"Aye, by my calculations, I will finally be able to hit the target on my own in about three years." Rylee snapped sarcastically, there was that odd flash of lightning in her eyes as she spoke, making the hair on his arms rise. He wordlessly handed her another arrow, she rolled her eyes and took it from him. "Fine but this is the last one."

"You are over thinking again, Rylee," Kili admonished her. He could see it on her face whenever she put too much thought into her stance, or her aim. She would stiffen and her brow would furrow and her eyes would narrow in concentration. Her arrow would veer far to the right. When she relaxed and cleared her mind and allowed the movements to be natural, her accuracy increased and she could hit within a foot of the target, naturally, it still veered to the right but it was better. "Stop thinking of what you are doing and just let it happen. We both know that your stance and aim are perfect. Just let go of your thoughts."

She sighed and tried to do as he asked, raising the bow and prepared to shoot. There was one long strand of hair from the back of her head caught in the bow string, so Kili reached forward and pulled it back, his fingers brushing gently against her neck just as she released. It hit the target. Any normal person would have been pleased, but both of them knew it was only because he touched her that she hit the target. "Beautiful distraction Kili, are you going to stand behind me in battle and play with my hair so that I can hit the targets as they come?"

"Are you giving me permission to play with your hair, Rylee?" Kili asked lightly, trying to break the sudden tension, but his fingers were currently still caught in the tangles, making the tension rise in an altogether different direction. He watched her swallow as she turned to look at him, her eyes wide and filled with something he could not fathom. He was close enough to kiss her, a mere few inches. He looked at her lips and moved to lower his lips to hers.

She spun on her heel and walked up the path going back to the camp. She needed space, time away from Kili. He was driving her to insanity. If she let him kiss her even once more, she knew there would be no going back, not for her, she would tumble so far down that there would be no rising. If what Kili felt was only lust, if he didn't feel the same as she did, she would be heartbroken until the end of her time in Middle-Earth. By fade or by dragon, she was certain she was doomed to die.

The place Thorin chose for camp was a pretty place, a high bluff that looked over the long valley below. She stayed far from the edge of the overlook and away from the fire, which was set under an outcropping of a cliff. Mikhaul was staying with the ponies to keep watch over them. Regardless, Rylee set her bedroll in the shadows near the horses, and of course, Fili and Kili's bedrolls were set up right beside hers. Once again she noticed the fan of bedrolls just beyond theirs, Balin, Thorin and Dwalin. Rylee shook her head, and rolled her eyes, bloody dwarven mother hens.

She made her way over to Mikhaul and rummaged in her pack until she found her comb and a thick silver clip. There would be no more kissing and no more playing with her hair. She would take care of that issue once and for all. She quickly pulled through the tangles, separating the braids and gently working through the knots with the carved bone comb until her hair fell in smooth dark waves down her back.

She felt the familiar stirring of a presence up her spine and stood straighter, looking out over the valley, "Do you feel it Mikhaul?"

"Aye, it is weak, but it is there," Mikhaul answered with a soft snort, "It is distant, at least that far bluff on the far side of the valley."

"Stay alert, we may have to go hunting," Rylee whispered softly. She kept her voice low to keep from scaring Bilbo, who was not too far away, feeding one of Mikhaul's apples to Myrtle. Mikhaul hummed in agreement, and Rylee sat down to finish her task, pretending nothing was out of sorts.

She placed the comb back into the bag and her fingers brushed against the token, and she glanced over at Kili as he came into camp. A knot settled in her stomach as she once again wondered if she should give it to him. No, she could not. Could she? She would never know if she didn't ask him, but no, she was not ready. She closed the bag and sat back into her seat and was just separating her hair into three long strands, when a noise echoed over the valley. The cry of a dying animal, followed by the faint calls of a war cry, it could be the Orcs she sensed were hunting game.

Kili's eyes followed Rylee. Something was wrong. She was on edge since arriving at camp and he wondered why. While she braided every strand of her lush, dark, fiery tresses into a thick plait, she was whispering quietly with Mikhaul. Was it because he tried to kiss her? She had never pulled away from him like that before, he was certain that she desired him, every response she gave him was positive. So why did she not let him kiss her? Kili glared at the braid, hating it, wanting to push her hands away and unravel the plait.

"What, what was that?" Bilbo asked as he looked back at Fili and Kili, who joined his brother, sitting near the fire under a low outcropping. Rylee stiffened and shot the Hobbit a worried glance, as she reached for her pillow where her axes lay hidden. This Company was the closest thing to home she found since leaving Mahal's Mansion. She wasn't keen on losing a single member.

"Are they closer, Mikhaul?" Rylee whispered under her breath.

Letting her senses widen she tried to feel if anything of darkness was in the vicinity, she looked at Mikhaul and the horse shook her head. She knew all about Orcs and Wargs, and the horrible things that they could do to a person, even a well trained warrior. The Orcs were out there, but keeping their distance. Why?

"Orcs," Kili imparted to the Hobbit, his face was serious as he looked up at Bilbo. It was time to lighten the mood a bit, and playing with Bilbo's naivety seemed like the perfect outlet.

"Orcs?" Bilbo asked, his fear rising visibly on his curious face as he moved closer to the fire. He knew Rylee hunted them, but they never came so close to their camp before. Thorin even sat up at the word and started to look around, searching for danger in the darkness. One word and it put every one of them on edge.

"Throat cutters," Fili added taking a puff off of his pipe, sensing his brother's game, he played along. He was rather bored of the dour mood and the overall tension of the camp, "There will be dozens of them out there. The lowlands are crawling with them."

Rylee was startled. How did they know they were out there, the sound was of an animal, and unless they could suddenly hear as well as she did, or feel the shadowy temptation of darkness, there was no way they could know the Orcs were there. She looked at Thorin and met his eye, she glanced in the direction that she felt the presence, letting him know that they were out there. She hadn't felt the presence of anything since they returned from the dragon. The fact that the darkness was so silent for the past eleven days was as worrisome as when she went hunting on a daily basis. The suddenness of the change had them both on edge.

"They strike in the wee small hours while everyone is asleep." Kili joined in telling the terrified Hobbit an unfortunate truth, "Quick and quiet, no screams, just lots of blood."

There was a long silence as Bilbo's fear rose, then Kili and Fili both chuckled quietly. Rylee glared at them, from her place by Mikhaul. Still on alert but feeling no change in the distance of the presence, Rylee released the handle of her axe and resumed braiding her hair. The horse murmured into her subconscious that they were a pair of jokers, Rylee nodded and whispered softly to the horse, "Aye, exactly like that Mikhaul, jesters the pair of 'em."

"You think that's funny," Thorin growled at his nephews, "you think a night raid by Orcs is a joke?"

Rylee flinched inwardly. Sometimes the only way to break through the darkness was to find levity, and Kili was only trying to lighten the mood. She understood his intentions. He just picked the wrong topic to joke about, especially with Orcs sitting within range of her senses.

"We didn't mean anything by it," Kili said feeling quite troubled. With only a few words Thorin was able to put him in his place and remind him of the seriousness of this venture. He was only trying to lighten the mood, was that so wrong? Kili dropped his head in reflection. He must have taken it too far, especially after he watched Rylee's wary eyes follow Thorin away from the group.

"No you didn't," Thorin said stalking off to look over the bluff far below. Rylee indicated there was something out there, and his nephews were joking about Orcs. "You know nothing of the world."

Rylee winced at those last few words. Those words were engrained in her memory, and on her heart. Like an open wound, those words made her finch, they were harsh. She watched as Balin approached the pair of Princes, "Don't mind him, laddie. Thorin has more cause than most to hate Orcs."

Fili watched his uncle as he walked away, wondering what could possibly make the strong man so upset. Balin started to speak, "_After the Dragon Smaug took the lonely mountain, we wandered westward over the Misty Mountains and into Dunland doing whatever work we could find to survive. It was not long before King Thror set out to find better settlement for our folk. He and his friend Nar journeyed to Moria. Upon finding the open gates, Thror went in, despite the pleas of Nar. For days Nar waited for Thror to return, until finally a horn blew and a lifeless form was tossed through the gate. It was the body of our King, his severed head tossed alongside his body with the name of his murderer carved into the flesh. Nar looked upon the defiled visage of his friend and King, and read the name of the beast that took the great stronghold of Durin's Folk. Azog."_

A shiver ran down Bilbo's spine as he listened to the tale. These dwarves had more stories about battles than any other. The only thing that outshone their battle tales, were their tales about the gold and gems that could be found in the mines of the great seven kingdoms. Bilbo didn't care for stories of gems and jewels, but the battle stories were different, they were history, terrifying history.

_"Upon the return of Nar, he gave the news of the death of the King. Thrain, Thorin's father was driven mad by grief. He swore vengeance upon the Orcs and called together all seven Dwarf kingdoms, none could bear such an insult as what was committed against the line of Durin. We made for the East Gate ready to retake the ancient dwarf kingdom of Moria from Azog the Defiler. The Giant Gundabag Orc had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin." _Balin's voice carried the memory and pain of the battle within it.

Rylee knew some of the history of this battle, Ori called it the Battle of Azunulbizar. A horrible battle that took place at the east gate of the Dwarven kingdom of Khazud-Dum, now called Moria. Khazad-Dum, the greatest kingdom in all of dwarf history was now in the hands of Orcs and who knew what else. The thought pained her that Durin's home was so desecrated by Morgoth's evil. Why was Morgoth so angry with Aulë that he had to try to destroy and despoil all of Aulë's creations? She knew the answer, but envy and jealousy seemed petty reasons for such destruction, in her mind.

_"With the arrival of Nain and his son Dain, leading their army from the Iron Hills, the tides were turned and we drove the Orcs back. Nain called Azog out of hiding, bidding the coward to fight, but when Azog came forth, Nain was killed. Dain, seeing his father slain, gave chase. He wounded the Orc terribly as he went, but Dain lost Azog in the rush of the battle. We fought hard until our King, Thrain, went missing. Taken prisoner or killed, we do not know. We were leaderless, our spirit broken. Defeat and death were upon us." _

Kili was never told the whole story, only snippets and pieces were filtered down to him. In their home, it was a subject that was never brought up. The memories were just too painful for Grandmother Nísi and Mother to bear. But he knew of the rage his people held for the Defiler and what he did to Thror. He knew of the losses of the battle that followed. He lost his grandfather Thrain, his uncle Frerin, and Cousin Nain all at once. Master Fundin, Balin and Dwalin's father, also died in that war. Great warriors, all of them, died long before he or Fili were ever born. He never even got to meet any of them. Kili knew that Thorin held out hope that Thrain yet lived, but the evidence of that, was severely lacking.

_"That is when I saw him, a young dwarf prince, facing down the pale Orc. He stood alone against this terrible foe. His Armor rent… wielding nothing but an oaken branch as a shield. Azog the Defiler learned that day that the line of Durin would not be so easily broken." _Bilbo looked at Thorin with a new understanding; he was a great warrior that experienced great losses to his enemies. No wonder these Dwarves followed him as their king._ "Upon seeing this feat, our forces rallied. Our enemy had been defeated, but there was no feast, no song that night. For our dead were beyond the count of grief. We few had survived and I thought to myself then, there is one who I could follow. There is one I could call King."_

Rylee understood now, the pain that lived in his eyes, why it so mirrored her own. Battles such as his, were fresh in her mind, she knew that pain. This was how he knew what it was like for her. This was why he did not belittle her pain. The loss of family, friends, comrades, and allies was still profound. She choked back the pain that began to build in her throat. Rylee snapped the clip closed into the end of her new braid and watched Thorin, where he was standing looking out at the fading scenery. It took a moment before she realized that the others around her stood in allegiance for their king.

Thorin turned then and met the eyes of his Company. They were standing and gathered, honoring him as their leader and their king. He met the eyes of Gloin and Dwalin, Ori and Nori. Beyond them stood the rest of the company all paying homage to their King. Oin stood at the foot of his bedroll looking at him with a sad remembrance of the battle on his face. Kili and Fili were the youngest, they were not in that battle, but he met their eyes too, because they honored him. Rylee was last. She stood in the shadows of the trees, away from the fire and the rest of the company. He met her eyes and he saw the pain. Raw, dark, and powerful. She nodded in acknowledgement, an acknowledgement of hard won victory, shrouded by soul shattering sorrow.

"And the pale Orc," Bilbo asked, from his seat on the ground. "What happened to him?"

"He slunk back to the hole whence he came," Thorin said darkly as he walked through the Company, "That filth died from his wounds long ago."

There was silence in the camp for a long while. Thorin returned to the place where he was reclining earlier, silently watching over camp. Several of the members went back to their bedrolls to catch a few hours of sleep before their turn on watch.

Rylee moved closer to the fire, her intention was to warm a small bit of water so she could make her moon tea. Most of the time Bombur would set aside some water for her, but that night her lesson with Kili took longer than normal. She filled the pot with water and set it to boil within the flames. The herbs were already in a cup by her bedroll waiting for the water. She stood, turned to walk away, and instead ran directly into Fili. She flailed her arms and fell back with a shriek, landing where else, but Kili's lap. Fili laughed as did Bofur and Dwalin, perfectly timed.

"You really are making this a habit," Kili grinned down at her as she sprawled across him. Before she could even think of escaping he gathered her closer and wrapped his arms around her. "Not that I mind."

She was curled intimately against his chest, his warmth radiating out. The scents of sunshine, leather, and Dwarven tobacco teased her nose. As she looked up at him, she met his dark eyes, her heart stopped. Her chest tightened and fire coiled in her belly so tight it was painful. For days she tried to keep this exact thing from happening, and she was successful. Why was today different? Every time she found herself in Kili's arms her brain went right out the window. Case in point, confessions of lust on horseback, where the heck was her brain when that happened? Or reclining in his lap after being tickled to tears, and teasing him about being naughty. Again, a brainless moment fueled by lust.

She forced herself to turn away from Kili and glared up at Fili, "You did that on purpose."

"I did not, Lass, you really need to watch where you are going," He grinned at her, she scowled back up at him. He chuckled and walked away giving his brother and Rylee a little bit of privacy.

"Does it matter, Rylee? As long as you fall where I can catch you," Kili whispered in her ear, making a shiver run through her body. She needed space from him before she did something altogether stupid, like kissing him. That thought made her look at his mouth, which made her bite her own lip, "When you do that I want to kiss you."

She gasped and looked up, her eyes meeting his. She took a breath about to say something when he lowered his lips to hers. She turned her head at the last moment. His lips grazing her cheek instead, she closed her eyes and moaned softly. Why was she denying herself again?

"Every time I get close, you turn away. Why Rylee, why do you avoid me like this?" He asked her in frustration. This was the second time that he tried to kiss her that she turned away at the last second. If he didn't know her better, he would call her a tease, but she wasn't, he could see the hesitation in her every move. What held her back? "Why do you stop me? I like you, you like me, so what is the problem?"

"My quest," She started, shaking her head. It took her a long moment before she could even think of why she turned away. She didn't just like him, she loved him, was head over heels for him. He was her One. She knew for herself that this was no infatuation, but what was it for him? He liked her, he wanted her, but did he love her in return?

"What about your quest?" Kili pushed, he really didn't see what that had to do with anything.

"What would be the point Kili? I am going to die, like I always do." Rylee told him as her mood darkened, the light in her eyes flashed up at him. She got her feet under her and pushed herself up, scrambling to her feet, and out of his embrace, "My quest is to change the hands of fate. Mahal said nothing about finding my-."

"Your what?" Kili asked her, jumping to his feet as well. He needed her to finish that sentence, and that thought, he needed to know what he was to her. Could he be her One?

"Nothing," She cried, stalking away. Her boiling water and the moon herbs were long forgotten. "I said nothing."

She walked back down the path towards the trees where they practiced shooting earlier, it was dark but for the sliver of light of the waning moon. Her hand was on the rock face to her right, feeling her way more than seeing. Kili grabbed her hand, spun her and pinned her against the rock face. One hand clasping hers and the other twining into the braided hair at the nape of her neck, he pulled her to him. He gave her no time to react before his lips crashed onto hers. He held her there, kissing her. Brushing his lips against hers, he gently bit her bottom lip, seeking entrance. With a soft moan she caved and opened for him, her free hand moved to clutch his shoulder, pulling him against her. His tongue touched hers, and she responded by seeking his. He explored her mouth, curling his tongue intimately around hers, coaxing her to do the same. He loved her innocence. She seemed so worldly in every other way but this one. He pulled away from her, loving her breathless little pants as she tried to catch her breath.

"Stop running away from me Rylee," Kili growled at her, meeting her eyes. Seeing her desire there made him want more. He needed more. It was not enough. He pressed her body against his as his mouth took hers again. He released her hand so he could pull her closer against him, molding her to him. Chest to chest, hip to hip, he wanted her to be as close as he could make her. She responded enthusiastically, her hands clutched at his shoulders and back, holding him tight. Soft mewling noises came from her throat as he pressed her against him. His hands roamed over her shoulders, her back, her bottom, pressing her against him as he devoured her like a starving man. He wanted to make her moan as he touched her and feel her hands on his bare skin in return. He wanted to make love to her and hear her cry out his name. He kissed her twice more before he lifted his head and looked down at her, both of them breathing heavily.

"I don't care if we all die tomorrow. I would rather spend what time I can with you than spend it apart." The hand in her hair pulled the braid up over her shoulder. He released the clasp and unraveled the plait. "Leave it loose, Rylee, I love the way it tangles around my fingers. It feels like silk spilling through my hands. I love the weight of the braids, and the beads, they catch the light like jewels."

Rylee looked up at him, her eyes wide, with her heart pounding in her chest. Did he have any idea what he was doing to her, the pleasure she felt when he touched her? Holding her against him, his hand cupped her bottom, as his other hand threaded through her hair. It was the most intimate thing she ever felt before. They were touching everywhere, her breasts brushed against his chest, his hips were pressed against hers, and she could feel his erection against her lower belly. Only the many layers of clothes they wore kept them apart. She wanted. She wanted him. Desperately. She was burning for him.

She raised a shaking hand and pulled his hair away from his eyes and a few stray hairs out of his face. Her other hand brushed over his face, from brow to cheek to the stubble on his jaw. Her fingers lingered there as the other hand ran through the fine strands of his hair. Did he have any idea? She met his eyes, they reflected the same overwhelming desire she was feeling. She wanted to give him her token, "Kili-."

"I have no right to ask you that, to tell you how to wear your hair, but I want to-, I want that right," Kili said, as he reveled in the feel of her hand on his face, warm, soft, gentle. He looked down at the somewhat bemused expression on her face, her fingers gently pulling through his own tangled hair made him realize exactly how much he needed her. He normally did not allow maids to touch his hair, yet Rylee's touch was acceptable. Hell, more than acceptable, it brought him pleasure whenever she touched his face or his hair. He put his forehead against hers, "I am rushing everything. I'm sorry. I just-."

"Kili, Stop. I will braid my hair as I want, when I want," Rylee told him, softly but firmly. He pulled away unsure how to take her rejection. She held him tight to her, pulling gently on his hair, forcing him to look at her. He met her eyes and there was a spark of light within their depths as she continued, "The only other person I want to touch or braid my hair is you."

"You would let me braid your hair?" He was breathless. She was offering him an intimacy that was priceless to him. She told them that she found braiding painful. But this, this was her choice. He was her choice. It was almost as good as a token.

"Yes, Kili," She whispered, her hand still in his hair, trying to find the courage to ask him to accept her token. She pulled him down brushing her lips against his. Her kiss was gentle, soft, and sweet, and then she started to back away. He growled and hauled her back against him, not wanting to let her go. "I need to sleep Kili, and you are on watch."

"Damn it!" he growled as he realized that he was supposed to be watching out for danger, and here he was kissing a fiery War Maiden instead of doing his sworn duty. "Fine, I will walk you back."

They made their way back up to the camp in the dark. They stayed on the outskirts until she reached her bedroll beside Mikhaul, so that Kili wouldn't lose his night vision to the firelight. When they got there, Kili pulled her in for one last kiss before releasing her. She was reveling in the thrill of what just happened, her heart was still racing a mile a minute, and a warm flush graced her cheeks. She just had to reach into her pack and give it to him. It could not be that hard, could it? Why was she so completely terrified? Never had she felt this kind of fear.

"Sleep well, My Lady." He could not help but stress the My. He wanted her to belong to him and him alone. He silently prayed that she would make an official move, that she would finally offer him her token. He wished he could just claim her, that Thorin was not with them so he could take her and make her his. Kili did not dare follow through on that thought, not with his uncle watching their every move.

"I won't, but thank you Kili." She said honestly, as she pulled away from him. She was still affected by the same dream, and she was still caught in its trap, but it was getting progressively better, which gave her some small hope.

"Kili, you are supposed to be on watch," Thorin's voice called out. Rylee swore she heard amusement in his voice. Camp was like a gossip mill and it made her wonder, just how many witnesses did they have? Was Thorin the only one watching them, or were there others watching from their bedrolls? Had they placed bets? She wouldn't doubt it. They were Dwarves after all.

"Hey, Rylee?" Bombur called from across the camp, his whisper carried easily over the night air.

"Yes, Bombur?" Rylee asked as she moved to sit on her bedroll. That made two witnesses.

"I made your tea. It is by the fire, staying warm." Bombur told her with a chuckle.

Rylee groaned into her hands, she forgot about her tea. She just hoped that it wasn't too overly steeped, "How long ago?"

"'Tis okay lass, tis only been five minutes," Dwalin said, softly, his voice carrying from just in front of her, to the left. Three witnesses. She sighed and got up, going over to the fire to pick up her tea. Using her sleeves she picked it up and sat down by the fire, if she touched it with her bare hands it would start to boil anew.

Dwalin watched as Rylee picked up the metal cup, using her sleeves, her hands, and the cloth of her sleeve brushed close to the flames. She didn't pull away as once again the flames rose to touch her. Several strands of her hair blew over her shoulder and into the fire and instead of catching and burning, they picked up the flame. Dwalin chuckled to himself. Born in Mahal's Forge and made of fire. He settled himself into his bedroll, as many times as he saw it, it still surprised him.

"Where's the clasp from your braid, Rylee?" Fili asked quietly, she looked up at him in surprise. She blushed deeply and tried to ignore him as she sipped her tea. His quiet teasing continued, "Does Kili have it? Did he just forget to give it back to you? Or did you braid his hair with it?"

"I didn't realize the status of my braid clasp was such an interesting topic of discussion, Fili." A few more chuckles rose from around them as Rylee avoided answering the question at all. It did, however, answer her question, apparently everyone was curious about her relationship with Kili.

"Perhaps I am just curious to know if I might have a little sister in the near future." Fili said quietly as he sat down beside her.

"Why, so you can attempt to throw rocks at her?" She teased him a small grin playing about her lips.

"Mahal, no! She throws them back." Fili scoffed bumping his shoulder against hers. Then he whispered, so lowly that she barely heard him, "Do you love him, Rylee? Is he your One?"

She turned and looked at the handsome blonde dwarf beside her. She studied him for a long moment. Holding her breath, she sat rigid as she thought about what she was about to admit, on a released breath she said, "Aye."

"That scares you?" Fili asked, watching her reaction. After over four weeks with the Company she was beginning to come out of her shell, starting to allow her cold façade to drop away. He knew that was Kili's doing.

"Aye, almost more than heights and nearly as much as spiders," Rylee whispered softly, before a shiver ran down her spine.

"But why? What is there to be afraid of?" Fili asked his eyebrows shot up as she named her two worst fears.

"It is new, and strange, it makes me feel exhilarated, and dizzy, and lighter than anything I have ever encountered in Middle-Earth," Rylee said, her voice was almost pained as she tried to describe her rampant emotions. "I am afraid of the fall, if he doesn't feel the same."

"He would be a fool not to, Rylee," Fili said bumping her shoulder again.

"You just say that so I don't throw more rocks back at you." Rylee smiled up at him. She knew she could ask Fili, what Kili thought about her, but somehow that just felt wrong. This was between her and Kili, she didn't want to use Fili as a middleman.

"You throw hard," Fili laughed at himself and at her, "and you do have exceptional aim. Which is what I don't understand about the bow?"

"You and me both, do you have any idea how frustrating it is to watch every arrow curve away from the target?" Rylee shook her head, a wry grin played about her lips. "Even Thorin and Mahal couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong. I thought perhaps it was a flaw in the bow I was using and had Mahal test it. He found nothing, and I tried using his bow and still the arrows would veer right. I have a moment of Divine Inspiration to make my bow and still the arrows turn. To this day it doesn't matter what bow I use, the arrow turns."

"That seems oddly," Fili hesitated thinking of the word he wanted to use, "Magical?"

"Aye, some sort of Divine Trickery. Eru touched 'True' once and told me that I had to find the one who could teach me the way. Do you think that it is coincidence that the bow chose Kili?" Rylee pondered out loud. She was feeling pensive and thoughtful.

Fili looked at the thoughtful young Dwarrowdam beside him. He originally thought it was just luck that Kili was the one to catch her when she dropped in at Bilbo's Hobbit Hole, but her words made him wonder. She was dropped into the lap of her One, the bow responded to her One. Kili's dagger was a gift from Mahal, the same dagger that he used to stop a fall from atop a dragon, so he could ultimately kill it. Perhaps the pair was destined to meet each other. Was the bow a means to help Rylee lure her One to her? Though Rylee was stunningly beautiful, Kili was a notorious flirt. If they were still in Ered Luin, Kili would have given up on Rylee weeks ago, he would have called her a tease and walked away. He was also a stubborn, and dense fool at times, it would take something like a bow, or a dagger, to make him take her seriously.

"If you were to court, would you prefer First Age customs or our customs now?" Fili asked her suddenly, whispering again as if to keep a secret.

She looked at him, her eyebrow quirked in question, she whispered in return, "First Age, I suppose, considering I do not know your customs. All I know is that the female makes the first move." She paused for a long moment before she continued softly, "Being Mahal's daughter, I never thought to find my One. I was created to do quests, not fall in love. I keep apart from everyone, so to find my One, now, while on a quest, it is confusing. Kili is confusing."

"I will admit, Kili does love the chase, but in his defense, most Dwarrowdam's use him to get to me," Fili told her quietly, "The bloody cows seem to think we don't notice when they flirt with him to get my attention."

"Well, I cannot say anything about your cows, but I would think that it would be more refreshing for you, if a Dwarrowdam was either completely direct, or made you work for her. Actually you need someone who is both direct, and would make you work for her," Rylee smirked. Fili looked at her with surprise and blushed lightly. A wry grin brightened her face as she said, "You know, I was once told that I was as frigid as a sea cow in mid-winter."

Fili snorted and laughed loudly, "Who told you that? He must have been blind, and stupid. You are the warmest person I have met."

"Um, of course I am, I am made of fire," Rylee chuckled softly, "you can't get much warmer than that."

"No really, Rylee, even when you wear your Royal Façade," Fili shook his head with a grin. She was an odd female, but genuine and sweet and strong. Cold was not a term he would use to describe her, not after spending time with her. "Some people can't see past it, but you are sweet, kind hearted, and you have a great sense of humor. My grandmother Nisi would call you charismatic. You are a very warm person."

"You are most kind, good sir, you are definitely a progeny of Durin, golden tongue and all," Rylee offered a small smile in return. His compliments warmed her, she was not used to receiving them, but she could see that he was being genuinely honest.

"So, who was this idiotic fool who would call the Queen of Red Flame such blasphemous names?" Fili teased her.

"It was some Lord of Men, who thought that I should bow down at his feet and worship him, because he thought himself handsome and wealthy." Rylee confided softly, "He also told me I should stop acting like a cave troll, and take an ice axe to the chip on my shoulder, lest a cold drake use it as a perch. He was very fond of insults, but not very creative."

"I do not imagine that you were so polite as to ignore that slight." Fili looked shocked before it turned to anger at the man who would slur Rylee so rudely.

"Of course not," Rylee grinned in remembrance, "I told him if he wanted a warm bed partner he could go plow a Balrog in Angband and open his arse to Ancalagon. I warned him to turn out the lights, the moon, and the stars first, for no one wanted to look upon his flaccid chinned, beak nosed, rheumy eyed, rat face, while doing the deed with the likes of him. Not even one of Morgoth's creations. For good measure I repeated it in every language I know, just to make sure he understood me, as I bodily threw his uncomely arse out of my dining pavilion."

Fili laughed loudly at that, earning glares from a few startled members of the company as they woke to his chortles. "You are a sharp tongued she-devil. Remind me never to anger you, Rylee."

They sat quietly together while Rylee finished drinking her tea. She bid Fili goodnight, then stood and rinsed out the cup, before drying it and returning it to the supply bags. For a long moment Rylee looked out over the valley, searching, and seeking. The presence was gone and that bothered her. Mikhaul was sleeping peacefully so Rylee shook off the feeling of disquiet and walked back to her bedroll and climbed in. Hands on her axes, she drifted off to sleep.

Fili headed to his own bedroll shortly after, thinking that, indeed, Rylee was the perfect match for his brother. She had a sharp wit, good comebacks, and a sense of humor. She was his equal in skill on the battlefield, feisty and mischievous. He would bet that she was just as reckless as Kili too. If he was to choose a sister, it would be Rylee. Fili just hoped that his brother didn't mess it up.

Kili was trying to listen to the exchange, but they were whispering low and he could not make out the words. He watched his brother bump his shoulder against Rylee's and smiled, Fili admired her, he knew. When they talked together about her, Fili always spoke with respect. Fili laughed loudly at something Rylee told him and Kili could not help the small spark of jealousy. Then he relaxed, just by watching Fili with her, he knew that while his brother enjoyed her company, he held no interest for her otherwise.

Kili stood holding Rylee's hair clasp in his hands, twirling it through his fingers. It was a larger clasp, meant for an abundance of hair. He looked at the runes and engravings that were on it. They were old. Some of them were so old that he couldn't understand what they meant at all. There was both Khuzdul and Sindarin words. There were other glyphs that had no meaning to him at all whatsoever. Regardless of what it meant, the clasp was beautifully made.

Perhaps he was the wrong Dwarf for her. She should be interested in someone more fitting of her title and status, not the second in line. Aye he was a prince, but she was a queen. She should be with someone like Fili, not him. That thought made him clench his fists in anger, just as they did whenever he watched her interact with the other members of the Company. The clasp snapped closed in his hand and he swore as it pinched him.

Hair touching was a great honor. It was one of the few that survived from the First Age and was considered sacred. She gave him that gift tonight, even though he had been taking liberties for weeks. She already had that honor, several times she touched his face and the fringe of hair that constantly seemed to escape his clasp, but she was always hesitant. She never went further and he contemplated whether he should offer Rylee the same consideration as she gave him. Perhaps he should tell her or ask her to touch his hair. Exchanging braids was another ancient tradition, one that he never really thought that he would follow, and it was slowly being lost to exchanging simple personal items. Mikhaul promised him that if Rylee was interested then she would give him a token. Thus far she made no indication that she was interested in a courtship of any kind. Other than the hair touching, at least it was progress.

Gloin came up to relieve him from duty and Kili turned to go back to camp.

"You going to keep her clasp, lad? Or are you going to toy with it like you are her?" Gloin asked quietly.

"I don't want to toy with either," Kili said quietly in confession. "I just don't know how to court a Dwarrowdam from the First Age, and I don't think she knows our customs well enough to court me, either. Even if she did, I would likely mess it up."

"That's understandable," Gloin grinned at him. "When my Ami chose me, I was beside myself for weeks, terrified I might mess it up and chase her away."

Kili walked away from the titan haired dwarf and he pondered his words. At least Gloin and his wife had a clear set of rules to work with. He was dealing with a lass who was from a different Age, who played by different rules. This was why he was listening to advice of a horse. Courting Rylee according to what Mikhaul could remember of First Age customs. He was being as patient as he could be, showing her attention, trying to get to know her, asking her to spar with him, and to practice with him. Rylee was just adept at avoiding and evading him.

Ori was waking Bofur for his turn on watch with Gloin, as Kili made his way to his bedroll. He put his weapons near the top of his bedroll and settled in. He looked at Rylee, who was thrashing about, a frown marred her beautiful face, and her breaths were ragged and torn. It was the first time in days that she moved in her sleep. No longer entombed within her dream, but she was moving more than she ever had before. It was like she went from one extreme to the opposite. She was in the midst of yet another nightmare. A low whimper left her throat, tears ran from her closed eyes and she whispered a name, "Kili."

She pulled one of her axes and was about to swing, when he caught her arm, and pulled the weapon free of her clenched hand. Her eyes popped open, filled with terror and pain. She sat up just as he dropped the weapon back beside her bedroll and reached for her. "Are you okay Rylee?"

"No!" She cried suddenly, surprising him, looked up at him, and shook her head. For the first time, he saw fear in her eyes, true unbridled fear.

"Sh-sh-shhh, you are okay, Rylee. It's okay," He knelt in front of her and pulled her into his arms. Oblivious to the others that looked over at them, woken from their sleep by her sudden outburst. He ran his hands up and down her back, trying to offer her his comfort, "You woke on your own."

"The dream was different, Kili, I altered it and then -," she gasped clutching him against her. She was shaking like a leaf, as she tried to calm down. "Then it changed, worse, but normal."

"What do you mean, Rylee?" Kili whispered, her head was in the crook of his neck, her breath teased his flesh and made him burn. He held her closer, and ran his fingers through her hair. "What is a normal dream, for you?"

"Death," She said hoarsely, the word was choked as it sprang from her mouth. The images of Kili pierced by no less than three arrows and a sword wound flashed again over her eyes. She clung to him, needing to feel him alive and warm against her. She whispered again, "I dream of death."

"Whose death?" Kili asked as a chill ran up his spine. She was in his lap, her arms holding him close, her head nestled beneath his chin. It was like she belonged there, she fit against him so perfectly. He just kept rubbing her back, offering her all the comfort that he could.

"Everyone's. The ones that were killed in past battles, and the battles that are yet to come." Rylee whispered softly, she was calming down and her voice was so soft that it barely carried at all, "The whole Company. Thorin's, Fili's, Gandalf's, yours, mine. I see everyone I love die, violently, horribly, every bloody night. I don't know how to stop it."

"How do you know you are meant to stop it?" Kili whispered as he held her in his arms. He eased down onto her bedroll, shifting them both so that they were lying together on the thickly quilted blanket, his head on her pillow. He was fascinated as he felt her hand under his shoulder, instinctively reaching for the handle of her axe as she dropped her head to his shoulder. She curled against him.

"Change the Hands of Fate." Rylee whispered softly, she buried her head into his collar, relishing in the comfort she found there. She was aware of his body beside hers, holding her against his chest. For the first time in forever she almost felt safe. "Something is to happen that even the Valar are not happy about, it is my destiny to stop it from happening."

"You are certain it is one of us?" Kili asked her gently, he pulled her hair back, twining his fingers in it, combing through the thick waves. Her sigh of contentment drove him to continue brushing through the fiery strands that spilled around her.

"Aye," Her voice was so far away, he could barely hear her, "This Company is like family to me. I could not bear it, to lose anyone. It would kill me, to lose you, Kili."

"You will not lose me, Rylee." Kili told her soothingly. Fili brought over his blankets, and with his brother's help, they arranged the blankets around them. Within moments they heard her soft even breaths as she returned to sleep, still clinging tightly to him.

Kili contemplated his relationship with Rylee. Was he certain that this was what he really wanted? Was he willing and ready to give up flirting and lust driven nights, just for the hand of one maid? He had been asking himself these questions for weeks, and didn't know what to do with the emotions that were running amok!

"If you hurt her Kili, I will tear you apart myself," Fili looked at Kili with a dark glare. He could see the questions behind those dark brown eyes. Fili returned to his bedroll watching his brother carefully, he wanted to protect Rylee, even if it was from his own reckless little brother. Rylee was Kili's perfect match, but if his little brother botched it up again, Fili vowed he would beat his brother senseless.

"Why would you say that? I have been trying to court her for weeks. You know this! I would never hurt her!" Kili protested quietly, defying even his own indecisiveness. He instinctively held her closer against him as he looked at his brother, wondering what the hell he did to earn that look. He felt a little hurt that Fili would think him so callous.

"You already have hurt her once," Fili told him, his usually bright eyes darkened with anger, "and do not forget I have seen you in action. You are a notorious flirt. How many lovers have you taken back at Ered Luin? You string them along until they find out about each other."

"None of them care for me, Fili, and you know it, other than the fact that I am your brother. They see the shortened beard and assume that I am the lesser of the princes, each and every one of them settles for me because they cannot have you," Kili shot back angrily. "Rylee likes me, for being me. Why must you stand in my way?"

"I would never stand in your way. I am just saying that you cannot do that to Rylee. She is innocent." Fili said softly in the fading firelight, he looked across the way at the small form in his brother's arms. "She cares for you, nadad, so do not hurt her."

"I-I don't just want to court her, Fili, I want to put my braid in her hair," Kili confessed as he held Rylee's sleeping form against him. Even with her just sleeping beside him, he felt the stirrings of this very desire. "I want to claim her."

"That's new," Fili blinked at his brother. Kili never wanted someone to the point of wanting to braid in their hair. He never touched hair. He never allowed another to touch his. It was only ever family. He knew about only two incidents where Rylee touched him, on the first night she arrived and the night of the bandits and blood magic, neither time was meant in a way of courting. "Have you let her-? On purpose?"

"Her fingers are divine, her touch is soft, gentle, I want her to- I want her to touch, braid, comb and play. I try to deny it, but -," Kili whispered softly as his own fingers tangled in the maid's hair. He looked down at Rylee, peacefully asleep in his arms. He felt only contentment and something beyond meaning, as she curled around him, still clutching him to her. "What is wrong with me Fili?"

Fili chuckled softly, he would not tell Kili that Rylee was his One. He knew his brother, and that would only make him run in the opposite direction. "I am sure you will figure it out, nadad. Sleep now, I will take her watch."

Kili watched Rylee sleeping peacefully in his arms and something twisted inside of him. When he first met her, he was certain that it was only lust, now he was not so sure. Fili was right, he had several lovers over the past few years, but never anyone serious and while lust was not a stranger to him, he wanted Rylee badly. There was just something about her that held him back. Taking Rylee as a lover would be very serious indeed. She was pure and innocent, something ethereal and special. She was his Mithril Queen, he wanted to cherish her. She would fade if she fell for him, and the idea of her dying, the idea of her leaving him, for any reason, it killed him.

Kili dropped his head to her pillow and curled into Rylee. Feeling her against him, feeling her snuggle into him for comfort and protection in the night did something to him. It was more than lust, he wanted her to be his, he wanted to give her a family, a home, a hearth fire, and he wanted to grow old with her. She might be a War Maiden and a Dragon Slayer, she might never need him to protect her from danger, but he could offer her this. Aye he would give up every lustful night in Ered Luin if he could have Rylee like this every night. He felt better, being able to hold her made him feel content and happy. 'This night, is one I will cherish,' he thought as he let himself drift into sleep.

* * *

She woke again to the deaths of the Company flashing before her eyes. Her eyes opened in terror, and she blinked away the images. She focused on a familiar blue tunic, and the familiar scent of the dwarf male holding her against him. Warmth curled through her, and her arms tightened around him momentarily. She remembered her nightmare and him coming to her. She groaned quietly as she realized that she fell asleep in his embrace. She could not be doing this! She should not be allowing her desire for her One to rule her mind. What the hell was she doing? She felt the slow and steady pressure of his hand as he gently rubbed her back and she bit her bottom lip as she considered this new intimacy between them.

"Keep it up and I am going to kiss you again," Kili whispered in her ear. He woke the moment she started thrashing, rubbing her back before she even opened her eyes, stilling her movements. He could see the moment that her fear turned into confused realization, and finally to uncertainty. He wanted there to be no doubts that he wanted her to be in his arms, that this was where she belonged.

"Oh!" she gasped, startled, she looked up at him. His eyes darkened with some emotion she didn't quite understand, but it made heat coil within her belly in response. Within seconds she found her hand threaded with his as he rolled slightly on top of her. His thigh was pressed between her legs and her hips rolled up against him instinctively, the pressure there was intense, and she gasped in reaction. Her heart raced as she looked up at him. He caught her lips in a fierce kiss and the heat spread instantly to every part of her body. His thigh pressed into her groin, electric fire spread from her center and she rocked against him again and moaned into his mouth. When he pulled back, they were both breathing hard.

"Kili," Rylee whispered as she looked up into his dark fathomless eyes, she knew only one thing. She needed him. She tangled her free hand in the hair at his nape and pulled him back down for another kiss. This time it was her teeth biting his lip, her tongue seeking his, twining, dancing and stroking. Pulling her hand from his, she explored his well muscled arms and wide shoulders, down his torso over his chest and abs to grip his hips. His thigh pressed against her again, and she jerked underneath him in surprise at the intensity of the contact, breaking the kiss.

His heart was pounding in his chest as he surveyed his affect on her. Her fiery hair spread around them, her stormy grey eyes, darkened with desire, her lips were pink and plump from his kisses. His need for her was like a raging inferno. He closed his eyes for a long moment, trying to rein in his control. Every one of her reactions to his advances were positive, the way she shivered when he whispered to her, the way her body arched into his when he touched her. She was so responsive to him. He wanted her. In every way he wanted her. Just not like this, with the watchful eyes of the Company and Thorin upon them. He eased up onto his elbows, making space between them, and she whimpered almost as though she was in pain.

He smirked at her and whispered, "I would keep you here all day, if I could, love, but it is time to get up. Dawn has arrived."

"But I was to have last watch!" Rylee's hushed voice was frantic as her eyes widened with shock before it fell with shame. She whispered hoarsely, "I was to have last watch with Thorin. He is going to kill me."

"Nay, love, if he kills anyone, it'll be me," Kili assured her as he realized that he was still holding her intimately under him. "I mean it, Rylee. I was the one sleeping in your bedroll. You have done nothing wrong."

Rylee's blushed furiously at his words, her eyes were wide and her breath stalled as she looked up at him. She forcibly pushed Kili off of her and sat up, roughly combing through her hair and straightening her clothes, as she did every morning. Kili admired her as her hands swept over her curves. Damn, she was strong! That thought led to Kili wondering who would win in a wrestling match, which turned to contemplations of something entirely more interesting. Then he realized that all those times she moved to get out of his lap or pull out of his embrace and did not, she could have, and chose not to. From the first day, she could have pushed him away from her and she did not. She wanted him. She wanted him, like he wanted her! So why the hell had she not made a move?

"Why did no one wake me? I was to have last watch," Rylee asked Thorin in frustration. He was sitting against the same boulder as he had been the night before, a dark hooded expression on his face. Whatever he was thinking, he was keeping it locked far away.

"Fili took it so you could sleep. You get little enough as it is." Thorin said as he watched Rylee jump to her feet and leave his nephew behind in the bedroll watching after her.

Rylee stormed away, helping the others tear down the camp and put things away into their crates, rolls, bags and packs. When she was finally safe on the far side of the camp she allowed herself to look back at Kili, still sitting on her bedroll, their blankets pushed down to his waist. If only she had the courage to ask him. The token was ready, all she had to do was ask.

Thorin was carefully watching the pair as they continued their strange courtship. Rylee was carefully watchful of Kili, barely concealed longing lit the depths of her grey eyes. The white sparks always seemed brighter when she was beside Kili. Kili's eyes were hungrily following Rylee's movements as she moved about the camp. Thorin even noticed the scowl that crossed Kili's face as he watched her interact with the other males in the Company. The lad was falling hard for her, but did he realize yet that she was his One? Thorin glowered at him, "You either court Rylee properly or not at all Kili. She is not some wench to be trifled with."

"I am aware of this, Uncle." Kili said peevishly as he rose and started packing up the bedrolls. He was just going about it differently than normal. It was supposed to be her move, and he was trying to be patient, but the temptation she offered made waiting increasingly difficult. Would she give him her token? He looked up at Rylee across the camp and the many braids in her hair. Would she accept his clasp? Would she allow his braid? Even just a courting braid, would she allow it? Would she let him mark her as his?

"Are you? I will not have you hurting her," Thorin asked him darkly. He didn't know what kind of courting rituals the pair was doing. It was like watching some intricate dance, each one moving either toward or away from the other, and then both coming back together to perform a new step.

Kili looked at his Uncle for a long moment. Thorin was Rylee's Guardian since she was still considered underage. Would Thorin even allow him to court her? Damn it, he hadn't even asked Thorin for permission to court her yet! No wonder Thorin was like a bear with a bee in his bonnet. Would Thorin accept her as a suitable potential candidate for a prince of Durin? Was he a suitable candidate for a Queen from the First Age? Would he bless a courting braid? He was suddenly uncertain of everything. Kili's voice was low as he asked, "May I have your permission to court Rylee, Thorin?"

"Aye, Kili, you may court her," Thorin said satisfied that Kili was at least acknowledging some of the courting rituals that were in place for this Age. He left Kili to move on to other tasks. The first of which was to break up the camp and prepare to get back on the trail. He looked up at the darkening sky. It was going to rain, and he was hoping to outrun it. It didn't take long to tear down the camp and head out.


	15. Down By The River

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, any of Tolkien's works or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either. I own only my OC's.**

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Chapter 15

Down By the River

May 24

It was raining. Mikhaul hated the rain, hated running in the rain, so they stayed with the group. She and Mikhaul were only lucky because her heavy fur cloak provided both of them some protection from the heavy downpour. Earlier that morning when she felt the first drops she turned the thick pelt inside out so that the fur side was facing out and the fine leather faced inwards.

"What are you doing Lass? You are going to ruin the fur!" Bofur exclaimed in shock as Rylee secured the fur around her and draped it over herself and Mikhaul.

"Oh, I have my doubts about that, Bofur," Rylee grinned cheekily, "Considering all that it has been through, I have my doubts that a little rain will do it any harm."

"But the rain will loosen the follicles and the hair will fall out." Bofur argued with her, his expression was pained as he looked at the dampened black fur.

"This is Werewolf fur, it is naturally waterproof, and Mahal made it fireproof too. It has survived all of my deaths, which included an ocean if you recall, and not a bit of damage." Rylee chided him. She grinned at him, and he quirked a brow at her in return.

"Rylee, where does the name Wolfsong come from? Is it from your fur?" Ori asked, naming one of her titles given to her by the enemy.

"No Ori. The bat lady, Thuringwethil, called me that." Rylee smiled at the memory of her hunt with Huan the Wolfhound. Ori's brow furrowed in confusion, and Rylee asked in surprise, "You have never heard of Thuringwethil the Vampire?"

"I have heard of Vampires, but the tales are more like lore in Dwarven culture," Ori said softly, she could see that he was itching to pull out his journal.

_"It happened when I was around thirty years old. I was finally permitted to return to Middle-Earth for a hunt, it was a training exercise more than anything. I was to help Huan the__ Wolfhound and __Lúthien__ rescue __Lúthien__'s beloved, Beren, from the clutches of Sauron. As we approached the gates __Sauron sent all of the werewolves after us one by one, __Huan __and I killed them all. Finally, Sauron sent out The Father of Werewolves, Draugluin, and his Vampire guardian. While Huan fought Draugluin, I fought against Thuringwethil. She called me Wolfsong because of the way I communicated to Huan."_ Rylee told them her story. Several of the dwarves maneuvered their ponies so they could be within earshot, including Fili and Kili. _"Thuringwithil was an abnormally tall woman, with sharp teeth that she used to eat mortal flesh. She had great bat-like wings with fingers and long iron claws. Terrifying creature she was and brutal to fight. Her ability to take to air and change from human to creature form was equal only to that of the other Maiar. I was using a long sword at the time. I waited for her to swoop down to try to claw at me. After the third pass, I timed it perfectly, and I gutted her with the sharp blade."_

_"Draugluin was mortally wounded by Huan, and the coward returned to his master, to die at his feet. Sauron changed his form into a werewolf and attacked Huan and I. We were able to subdue him, but at the last moment the bloody fiend turned himself into a vampire and flew away. I remained only long enough to skin Thuringwethil and Draugluin, and give the pelts to Huan so they could be used later on. This was the point of the hunt, retrieving the skins."_ Rylee told them all, her mind was far in the past as she told her tale, _"I didn't stay for the rest, there was no need, and I had promised to return to Aman once my training mission was complete. I was told later that __Lúthien__ was able to rescue Beren and that by using the __skins I gave to Huan, Beren and __Lúthien__ were able to enter Angband and win one of the Silmaril from Morgoth. But Beren lost his hand, and the Silmaril, to the most terrifying of all werewolves, Carcharoth."_

_"Beren, Huan, and The Elves of Doriath went after Carcharoth. Huan then killed the monster, fulfilling an ancient prophesy that he would die by the wounds of the most powerful werewolf in creation. Both Beren and Huan were mortally wounded during the fight. When they cut Carcharoth open they found the Silmaril, still in Beren's hand. After Beren died, __Lúthien__ succumbed to fading and died of grief. They met one last time in Aman, in the Halls of Mandos where Beren awaited her. __Every being in Aman heard the lamenting song of __Lúthien__ as it cascaded over the land. A song so pure, blending the sorrows of both Men and Elves, it was trapped in the hearts of all who heard it, including myself. I was training with Manwë when Mandos came to him for advice. I was there when Ilúvatar gave __Lúthien__ her choices. To live in forgetful bliss in Valinor, or to take up life once again as a Mortal, alongside Beren, and later die a mortal's death."_ Rylee's voice was wistful as she told the end of the tale, she thought of her friends who were now long gone from the world. _"I never saw them again, when I came to Middle-Earth in my first life, I was told they were in Tol Galen. It was __Lúthien__'s father, Thingol, who helped me gather information on the whereabouts of Glaurung."_

"Was that your hunt to prove Battle Ready?" Kili asked her softly. Thirty years old was about the age that a Dwarven warrior could be proven battle ready, or be worthy of going hunting. At around fourty a Dwarf grew into their adult appearance and could start taking on jobs and becoming apprentices. At seventy five Dwarves were considered adults. Kili was seventy seven, Fili was eighty two, and Ori was seventy nine, though considered quite young they were all adults. Rylee was seventy two, which was why she needed to be accompanied by Thorin.

"No, I was proven Battle Ready several years before," Rylee told them, she sighed and shook her head slowly, "That is one story I will not tell. I am not ready yet."

Rylee fell into silence and the dwarves moved away, realizing that she was truly done with her tale. Huan's death was one of the first she mourned upon arriving in Middle-Earth, many others followed. Rylee's thoughts remained on the cursed beasts. She and Huan decimated the werewolves, there were so few left to roam the wilds. If they killed all of the werewolves in the First Age, why was she finding them again now? Unless Sauron was manipulating the fëar of Orcs, and creating more of the overlarge wolves, they should all be long dead. Dread filled her as she thought about that. How many more would she encounter?

They rode quietly for several minutes before Bifur pulled on her sleeve and asked her in Iglishmek, "When are you going to give Kili your courting bead?"

Rylee blinked at him for a long moment, being pulled so abruptly from her thoughts and memories. She looked at the pair of cousins riding beside her. Her brow furrowed, she looked ahead and found Kili riding with Fili several mounts ahead of them.

"Is that how it works?" Rylee asked quietly, looking back into the dark eyes of Bifur. He grunted in response, as though she should know this already.

"Aye lass, courting bead, courting braid, then a betrothal braid, and so on," Bofur explained quietly, he was speaking lowly so his voice would not carry through the rain. "Is it not what you are used to?"

"Oh, Nay, Master Bofur," Rylee shook her head and met each of their eyes. "My customs are different. The Dwarf would show his love that he was worthy of marriage first, by showing his strength and prowess in battle, and spending time with her, and being attentive. Then when he is ready he gives his love a significant courting gift, one that symbolizes what she means to him, and how well he will care for her. If she accepts his suit, and they find that they are compatible, she will ask him to exchange courting braids. Then, when they feel that they are ready, they will marry."

"So are you waiting for him to make a move?" Bombur asked from behind her, startling Rylee. She looked back at the heavy Dwarf, and he smiled sheepishly at her. "Or are you going to try our customs?"

"Um, I have a feeling that if Kili and I court, it will be by our own rules." Rylee said quietly in contemplation, thinking of the token in her bag. It signified what he meant to her. It was definitely no courting bead, which she would keep for later, when she was certain that he loved her. She was lucky that Oropher and Thranduil did not know that she carried a courting bead. They would have taken it if they knew about it, and she would be bound to Thranduil, and he to her, regardless of new traditions or laws.

"You have already broken most of the rules lass, what are a few more?" Bofur said with a grin and a wink.

Rylee chuckled and the conversation died, the ponies falling back into a single line formation. They all fell into their own thoughts and quiet contemplations. Rylee thought again about the tale she told. She was deeply inspired by Lúthien's love for Beren, choosing a life with him, over eternal bliss with the Valar. In honor of their love Rylee started to sing the song of Lúthien, the same song that Lúthien sang in the halls of Mandos, the song that, for a brief moment, caused him to pity. She followed it by a song she learned from Nessa about the dance of life. She wondered if they could hear her, and she wondered if they cared that she missed them.

The song about life turned her mind once again to the history of the world, and all that she wanted to know. She would need to spend a great deal of time with Gandalf or someone with the knowledge of the world in order to catch up to where she needed to be in her knowledge of history. She and Mikhaul moved up beside Gandalf and behind them was Bilbo.

"Gandalf, I have more questions," Rylee said as they settled in just beside him on the trail.

"You seem to have more and more every day, my dear," Gandalf said with a smirk. She was starting to find her curiosity. He heard her singing the Lay of Lúthien, and he knew that her mind was far in the past. Her mind was on her friends.

"Can you tell me more of Elrond, does he still reside in Imladris?" Rylee inquired softly.

"I would imagine so, considering Elrond founded it during the Second Age," Gandalf smiled at her, "Others know it as Rivendell."

"Rivendell, Imladris, by the name I assume it is located in a ravine in the mountains. Will we be going there?" Rylee asked, not knowing were this Imladris was located, though she did recall seeing a Rivendell on a map of Middle-Earth at Bilbo's house. She only knew that it was to the East of the Shire.

"Not if Thorin can help it," Gandalf scoffed quietly, "He holds no love for Elves. It does not seem to matter that Elrond will have answers to the questions that he has. It would be the perfect place for you to meet Saruman."

"Well then I hope that we can change his mind, Gandalf," Rylee said quietly as she contemplated this new information, "I would love to see Elrond again. Do you recall meeting Elros and Elrond on the road and convincing them to join Gil-galad? We often fought together, trained together, sparred together. They offered me sanctuary from Oropher and Thranduil, whenever I could escape. They had a lovely maid, Rohinna, she would lie through her teeth to keep them from finding me."

"Yes, I do remember those days," Gandalf said with a grin, remembering the twins and how they often teased Rylee, and followed her into battle, and the young elf maid that was part of the group that helped Rylee delay her marriage for four years.

"Does Galadriel live?" Rylee whispered softly, her heart pounding in her chest. She was one of her dearest friends, one of the few friends that survived all of her quests. They got into such mischief together (hunting trips that turned into mud baths, ale drinking competitions, belching contests), none greater than the events of the day they met.

"Aye, she is well, Rylee," Gandalf gave Rylee a small smile, "She resides in Lothlórien with Celeborn."

"According to the map on Bilbo's wall, we will not be passing through there, will we?" Rylee asked quietly. If Thorin's anger towards Elves kept him from Elrond, a half Elf, then he certainly would never want to venture closer to a true Elf. Nay, he would not want to meet Lady Galadriel, which was a pity, for she was true beauty in body, mind, and spirit.

"No, I think not," Gandalf said with a small smirk, and Rylee knew that her supposition was correct.

"Is Fleet Took related to Bilbo somehow?" Rylee asked suddenly as her mind suddenly made an odd connection. The small black haired hobbit from her flashes of memory, reminded her of Fleet Took, an Elf that she knew in the First Age. He was there for all three of her quests, one of her longest and most loyal friends. But Bilbo said that his mother was a Took. Took was an ancient Elf name, was it possible that Fleet met or married a Hobbit sometime during his life?

"I do not know, Rylee," Gandalf said in surprise, he could see her thinking, trying to puzzle out her thoughts behind those electric grey eyes. "Where did that thought come from?"

"I don't know, Gandalf, but somehow it fits," Rylee said as she played with Mikhaul's braids. "Somehow in my mind, there is a connection, there are images that pop up now and then, and I think that I know, or remember something. Then in a blink it is gone. I don't like having these gaps, Gandalf, I feel like I am missing some very important things."

They both dropped into thoughts of their own. It continued to rain, making the trail muddy, and the Company weary. They were not much for company or entertainment. Mikhaul was bored and Rylee was lost in her own mind thinking. She was startled out of her thoughts when Dori asked, "Here, Mister Gandalf, can't you do something about this deluge?"

Rylee snorted softly, and Mikhaul did the same. Both of them remembered a similar conversation a friend of theirs had with the Maia in her first life. It was before they entered the forests of Doriath to meet Thingol. She and Olorin met up with Fleet Took, on their way through the forest. Fleet became their guide, and asked Olorin the same question. He got a slightly different answer.

"It is raining Master Dwarf, and it will continue to rain until the rain is done." Gandalf told him, Rylee nearly laughed out loud at the annoyance on his face. "If you wish to change the weather of the world you will have to find yourself another wizard."

"The last time you answered that, you told Fleet that he should look to the Valar for assistance with the rain, since there was nothing wrong with getting a little water in his britches." Mikhaul mused into their minds, making the wizard laugh.

"And are there any?" Bilbo asked. He was always so curious about everything. Rylee, too, was interested in the answer. Other than Saruman, or the Maia she remembered as Curumo, she wondered if she knew the others that came to Middle-Earth to be wizards. Who were the other three?

"What?" Gandalf said startled from his amused chuckle. Rylee realized that Mikhaul had distracted him with her comment and grinned.

"Other wizards," Bilbo clarified as they went along.

"Yes, keep up, Gandalf," Rylee teased him, shooting him a smirk. He glared back at her, making her laugh. Bilbo and Dori had no idea that Mikhaul had distracted the Grey Wizard.

"There are five of us. The greatest of our order is Saruman the White." Gandalf told them. He met Rylee's eyes as he said this, recalling their conversation several days before. "Then there are the two blue wizards, you know I have quite forgotten their names." Gandalf said, his voice dropping off as he thought about who they could be. "I am certain you would know them, Rylee, but for the life of me, I cannot recall-."

"And who is the fifth?" Bilbo interrupted, since Gandalf was obviously not telling them about the blue wizards. He trod along on the back of his pony. He looked from Rylee to Gandalf, they had such an odd history between the two of them.

"That would be Radagast the Brown, Rylee knows him as Aiwendil." Gandalf said with a twinkle in his eye, Rylee caught it and grinned. He was a wonderfully eccentric Maia. She used to chase after the great butterflies, and watch the fantastic creatures in Yavanna's pastures and Aiwendil would chase her down to try to stop her. He taught her a great many things about edible plants that did not need to be cooked. He absolutely adored Mikhaul, and the Great Mare felt the same about the Maia.

"Is he a great wizard?" Bilbo inquired then he paused for a moment before taking Gandalf aback with his follow up question. "Or is he more like you?"

Rylee nearly fell of her horse, as she choked on a laugh, Mikhaul too was snorting with amusement at the wizard's expense. Gandalf's face was priceless as he first shot her a look and then turned back to answer the Hobbit. "I think he is a very great wizard, in his own way, he's a gentle soul who prefers the company of animals to others. He keeps a watchful eye over the vast forest lands to the East, and a good thing too, for there is always evil that looks to find a foothold in this world."

"Unfortunately, that is true, evil seeks out the easiest of paths," Rylee agreed as her mirth wore away. "Do you think we will see him?"

"Who, Radagast?" Gandalf said with an odd look of surprise, "it is doubtful, he doesn't really leave the sanctuary of the forest anymore. Why do you ask?"

"It would be nice to see him, I remember him fondly," Rylee said looking out into the damp forest before turning her face up to the rain, letting it fall on her cheeks and eyelids. When Yavanna was busy doing other things, they would often spend time with Aiwendil instead. "He always has the best horse treats for Mikhaul."

"You laugh at me, and remember Radagast fondly," Gandalf looked at her unsure whether to feel insulted or not.

"You tell me that I am too modest, when you are the worst culprit of all. Gandalf you are a wonderful Maia, the wisest I have ever met. I can only imagine your success as a wizard," She told her friend meeting his eyes with a hard look of her own, daring him to argue with her. He looked annoyed, but said nothing.

"Rylee, there is someone ahead who would like to see you," Mikhaul told her, she was being a bit cryptic, but her voice was relaxed and Rylee wondered who would possibly be looking for her, "do you think we could go for a bit?"

"I don't see why not. Let's go tell Thorin," Rylee nodded feeling more than a little curious about who would be requesting to see her. With that, she and Mikhaul slowed and fell back to Thorin's side, "I am going ahead a bit, Mikhaul and I need a bit of space. We will find you later."

"We may have to go off trail to find a camp in this rain. How will you find us lass? If we make camp, you won't know where we are." Thorin shot her a concerned look.

"Ugshar, you ask me that same question every time we leave, Mikhaul can find you as she always finds me. I will be alright Thorin." Rylee told him with a pointed look. "Besides, we will not be going that far ahead."

"I don't have any doubts about that, Rylee," Thorin said shooting his student a hard glance. She was playing with Mikhaul's braids in her lap, and not paying any attention to the road. "It is my nephew I am concerned about, he has become protective of you."

"And I of him," Rylee sighed in frustration, "I don't know what I am thinking anymore. I am at a loss as to what is going on in my own mind. He is my One, but I don't know if he truly cares for me, so do I continue to push him away or not? Do I accept his courtship, if it is one, and give him the Token I made or do I not? I am supposed to be on a quest, which I don't even know if I will survive, so do I give in to love and risk hurting him?" She saw Thorin about to speak and cut in, "Ah! Don't answer those! I need a week spent in a forge!"

"You need what?" Thorin asked taken aback. He looked at her oddly, wondering where such odd thoughts were coming from, and why she would share them with him.

"Working with metal, making weapons, it calms my mind, I think better when I am going through the motions of creation." Rylee confessed to him. She didn't really know why she was confiding in him, she just felt comfortable enough to tell him. "The magic comes unimpeded and once the weapon is made, there is a moment of clarity and I need that."

"You have become a complex woman, Rylee Emitheral." Thorin said shaking his head at her. He purposely ignored the word magic in order to keep the peace between them.

"Not really, I like making weapons, I like fighting, and I like music and dancing," Rylee grinned as she thought about dancing. It wasn't a normal kind of dancing, but it was hers.

"Dancing? I thought you hated dancing," Thorin was caught off guard by this. He remembered Vala Nessa trying to teach her the court dances and she complained the entire time that they were dull and boring and pointless. It was too feminine a pastime for a girl who avoided anything close to domestication. There was a mischievous look on her face, as she met his eyes, a small grin played at her mouth. It was the girl he remembered, the one who was always up for trouble.

"Aye, dancing, apparently it comes in handy on the battlefield, who knew?" Rylee grinned, white fire lit her eyes and Thorin smirked back. Then she sobered and looked ahead at the trail, "Now, I need to go ahead. I just need some time to myself, to sort through some things."

"I understand. We will see you later, take care Rylee." Thorin told her. From what she said earlier, she did have a great deal to sort through, and if he were to give her advice, he would tell her to follow her heart. Obviously she was not interested in getting advice, as she told him not to answer her questions. She would just have to figure it out on her own.

"Wait, Thorin?" Rylee asked quietly as Mikhaul pranced beneath her, ready to be off. Thorin looked up at her in askance, "If I were to give Kili a token, would you bless it? May I court him?"

He was completely dumbfounded for a moment as he processed her question. She was asking to court his nephew? She was reversing the First Age customs and asking permission to give Kili a token. "Do you have the token?"

Rylee reached behind her and pulled the leather wrapped token out of the bag and handed it to Thorin. He looked back to see where Kili was, and kept it close to his body to keep it from his nephew's view. He unwrapped the object and looked at the black iron cuff in his hands. He looked up at Rylee in surprise, "Is this-."

"Aye Thorin, it was fashioned to signify something meaningful between us," Rylee nodded, a blush was spreading across her cheeks.

"When will you ask him?" Thorin inquired his voice low and almost inaudible, but Rylee picked it up over the fall of the rain.

"When I gather my courage to do so," Rylee admitted looking shamefaced down at her hands.

"You have my blessing, Rylee," Thorin told her, bringing the token to his lips to kiss it. He wrapped it back into the leather and handed it back to Rylee. He caught her hand as she reached over to take it from him, "You honor our family by offering your suit, Rylee Emitheral, we would be proud to have you as one of our own."

"Thank you Thorin Oakenshield, for your blessing and your acceptance," Rylee whispered, she looked up and met his eyes, "I am humbled by your words. I – I need to go now, I need to think about things."

"As you will, Mahalul," Thorin nodded his eyes glimmered with something Rylee could not name, and once again he told her, "Take care, Rylee."

"I always do!" Rylee called over her shoulder as Mikhaul jumped into a full gallop. Thorin watched as the pair raced away. They were so quick that there was no way any of their party could catch them if they tried, which eased his mind as it turned to his nephew, who was riding up alongside him as Rylee disappeared from view.

"Where is she off to?" Kili asked joining him, his concerned eyes looking deeply into the dark rainy trail where she departed.

"I imagine that she is scouting ahead, like she often does," Thorin told his nephew, with a small knowing smile, "We will find her later. Do not worry, Kili."

* * *

"So who wants to see me, Mikhaul," Rylee asked as they came upon a large river with a sturdy stone bridge over it. Rylee's keen eyes searched for someone she knew, then she saw the form rising from the quickly flowing waters, "Ulmo! You are such a sight for sore eyes. I have not seen you since the Dragon of Gondolin."

"Well met Rylee! You may not have seen me, but I have seen you," Ulmo smirked at her, "You were quite a sight a couple of weeks ago swimming out of that slough, I see you have not forgotten your lessons."

"Of course not, you are a wonderful teacher," Rylee said as she blushed, "So, you saw the slough incident?"

"I did, it is not the first time you have gotten out of a mess, I do recall that you helped a friend of yours out of a muddy situation during your first quest," Ulmo said with a smile of remembrance, "you learned your grace from her, there was a time when you would have reacted quite differently to being in that slough."

"She would be highly amused to hear that you witnessed that," Rylee laughed thinking about her dear friend covered head to toe in mud after a sudden tumble down a slippery slope while hunting giving both of them quite a scare. While Galadriel struggled to get out of the puddle, Rylee sat on the edge of the puddle and shook her head at the elleth. After the Elf maid recovered from her surprise she sat in that puddle grinning up at Rylee, a mischievous smile on her face. "She taught me a great deal about being graceful in the face of unfortunate accidents. Do you recall how she spent an hour trying to decide if she enjoyed the feel of mud between her toes? She spent nearly an hour walking around in it, humming and hawing, it was a week before she finally told me that mud felt oddly nice between her toes."

"I recall her amusement at seeing her reflection afterwards threw you for a loop," Ulmo laughed at her, "You may have learned to be graceful under pressure, but you are still deeply opposed to getting dirty."

"You are quite correct, Ulmo, I could not fathom why she thought it funny, being covered head to toe in filth, but her laughter is contagious. After a few battles I found that mud is not so terrible, when there are worse things to be covered in." Rylee smiled looking at the Vala of Water and Rivers. "So, other than the honor and joy of seeing you, what is the purpose of this visit?"

"I wanted to thank you for relocating Bob," Ulmo told her gently. Rylee went still and looked up at Ulmo in surprise, "he was quite unhappy in that slough, it was not a good home for him. Yavanna says he has found a mate, and is quite happy, now that he is at the creek."

"You have spoken to Yavanna?" Rylee asked tentatively, she was surprised. Ulmo preferred to travel and live within the bodies of water in Middle-Earth, rather than returning to Aman with the other Valar.

"Of course, Rylee, she does have creatures in the sea, as you well know." He said softly, "She is proud of you and told me to tell you that your offerings are not unnoticed. She and Nienna are on speaking terms again because of them. They have been since the first seedling."

"Do you think they will ever forgive me, Ulmo?" Rylee whispered her heart breaking a little. She planted her first seed in Doriath, in her first life.

"It is you who must forgive yourself Rylee," Ulmo admonished her, "I told you this when I found you in the ocean. Now tell me of your quest, tell me everything."

* * *

Conversations were minimal and the ride was boring through the densely treed areas. All day long it poured, and it was deep into the afternoon before they came across Rylee and Mikhaul. They were waiting by a massive stone bridge watching the river as it tumbled underneath. Mikhaul was grazing by herself just off of the road, while Rylee stood on the middle of the bridge looking into the raging waters. She looked reflective and lost in thought. Gandalf greeted her and she nodded in return.

Kili wondered what it was that had her thinking so hard. He was about to ask her when Bilbo beat him to it. "Are you alright Rylee?"

"I am wonderful, Bilbo, thank you for asking," Rylee smiled up at him as he passed her by. Ulmo left only moments before, and she still felt rather emotional after his surprise visit. She was happier, having heard news of home, and being able to tell her uncle of her adventures.

"You're not thinking of jumping in are you?" Oin asked her as he rode by.

"Not today, Oin, maybe some other time." Rylee told him, her face perfectly straight as she watched as several large logs slammed against the moorings, shaking the bridge beneath them, "Though I could use a bath."

"Did you not just have one a few days ago, Lass?" Gloin teased her about her penchant for constant bathing.

"A few too many days ago, Gloin," Rylee told him her face turned to a look of disgust.

"Gloin, Ladies are not meant to smell like onions and cooked cabbage," Dori chided him with a small smirk.

"Not unless they are cooking onions and cabbage." Bombur grinned down at her, knowing that she would never cook those things.

"And since Rylee doesn't cook," Nori snickered, adding the final remark, "she prefers the smell of roses."

"Don't forget the Lilacs," Balin added with a chuckle.

Not to be left out Ori added, "Or the honeysuckle."

"Well now that everyone knows what I like in my soap," Rylee said with an amused shake to her head, "Maybe it's time to change it up."

"Don't do that, Lass, you would confuse the boys." Bofur said as he passed.

"It wouldn't take much," Dwalin shot at Bofur. Bifur signed and grunted that it took them the last four weeks to figure out the honeysuckle, it would be a shame to make them start all over again. Rylee started to laugh. It was not a soft breathy giggle of a maid, but a full hearty laugh that tinkled like chimes in the wind. Her eyes lit up like fireworks in the sky, and her smile lit her entire face. Kili was completely enthralled.

Fili looked down at her as he passed, "You really should do that more often."

"Fili's right. Are you going to stay here and river watch," Thorin could not help but smirk at her grin. He agreed with his nephew, she was even prettier with a smile, and her laugh was infectious, "Or are you rejoining us now?"

"Mikhaul is already in line behind Kili," Rylee smiled up at him, seeing the glint in his clear blue eyes. Kili passed her and Rylee jumped up onto Mikhaul's back, hauling herself into her seat. She rode quietly behind them at the end of the pony train, her face tilted to the sky allowing the steady rain to hit her face, until the cold began to seep down her neck and into her cloak. Then she lifted her hood and covered her head, effectively shutting out the rain.

"Where are your thoughts Rylee?" Kili asked as they continued through the woods. They were a little behind the others, his voice was low, dampened by the downpour.

"In the past and on the future," She said quietly as she played with Mikhaul's braids. "I really never thought much about the history of the world until I started lessons with Ori. So much has changed, but there is much missing from the Dwarven history, and I am equally part of the rest of the world, I have much to learn. I worry about the people that I left behind, and I wonder if they yet live, or if they were lost to the fall of Beleriand. I never realized how dark these last seven years have been, not until I started searching for the good in it."

"Surely your past feats helped the world in many ways." Kili replied, not quite understanding why she would be thinking such dark thoughts.

"I hope so, but there has never been a time when evil has not tried to resurrect itself, and destroy the greatness of Arda." Rylee spoke her thoughts out loud. Sauron was doing his best to find his way back, and that worried her greatly.

An hour later, Thorin pulled everyone off the trail and deeper into the woods under a tall stand of trees in hopes that they could use the shelter of the trees to make a camp of sorts. It was still wet, but undeniably drier than anywhere else.

They got to work trying to get things set up, Oin and Gloin worked on getting a fire going, but the wood was soaked, and they began to argue about it. Rylee unpacked Mikhaul and set out to find long branches, posts, and rushes to make herself a dry shelter so she could roll out her bedroll for the night. When Fili and Kili saw what she was doing, they quickly followed suit. Soon the entire camp area had fifteen modest lean-tos and one large one for Gandalf. Rylee set up her stuff and took off her axes and her whip, which were holding in the moisture from the excessive rain. Carefully cleaning off her bow and checking the string she put everything in with her bedroll under the dry little shelter. Once she was done, she set out to look for dry firewood.

Oin and Gloin's argument heated up faster than any fire they were trying and failing to build, and was getting quite loud, spooking one of the ponies before Nori could get the packs off. Dendra, the poor beast took off into the swiftly moving creek that ran alongside the camp. Fili and Kili chased after it, grabbing its lead line and pulling the bawling beast towards the embankment. The pony's eyes were wide with fear, her head tilted back and ears were laid flat. She was bucking and planting her feet in a wild refusal to move toward the safety of shore. With the girth strap on the gear somewhat loosened already, it didn't take much to cause all the packs to free themselves from the pony's back. The other dwarves scrambled to salvage what they could before it disappeared downstream.

Fili was just getting the poor girl settled, when he was hit by some sort of flotsam in the water, and his feet were swept under him. His frantic attempt to rise out of the water spooked the already terrified mare. Kili nearly released Dendra's lead to go after Fili, and the little mare went wild, feeling the slack of the tether. Kili was pulled off of his feet and struggled to hang on to the horse as he watched, horrified, as his brother was swept downstream. Thorin grabbed the other lead, and he helped Kili to get the mare under control.

Rylee and Mikhaul came out from the forest further down the river and watched the action in horror. Fili was headed right for her, Dwalin ran down the bank to rescue him but the current was too fast. Rylee was closer and a strong swimmer. She dropped the wood that she was carrying and ran to the edge of the river.

"Mikhaul, help them get Dendra out of the water!" Rylee yelled from the bank as she pulled off her heavy leather tunic and the Mithril corselet that was underneath. She hauled her boots off of her feet and ran to the river's edge, ignoring the bite of the rocks. The large horse charged into the water after the smaller pony, and Rylee ran into the water towards Fili. She didn't see Kili's anxious expression when she dived under the water. Kili didn't see Dendra stumble, her head hit his shoulder, pushing him off his feet, and he was swept into the current. Thorin and Dwalin scrambled to grab a hold of Kili as he was carried downstream. The water was high and the current was fast. Rylee swam hard upstream towards the blond head bobbing in the water, coming straight for her.

"Ulmo, if you are near I could really use your help." Rylee called to the Vala of Rivers and Waters. He helped her once in the ocean, keeping her calm as she drowned. He cried for her, knowing that it was the only way for her to be returned to the doorway of her next life.

"I am here, Rylee," The Vala said softly, "but you don't need me for this. I will help your other friend instead."

With that Ulmo was gone and Rylee wondered for a second what he was talking about, but she had no time to ponder it. Rylee remembered all he taught her about water rescue. She reached out and caught Fili in her arms and pulled his back against her chest, wrapping her arm around his torso. Then she concentrated on keeping them both above water.

Fili was just barely keeping himself afloat, and was ready to let himself go under, when he felt someone grab him from behind. An arm swept under his arm and over his chest. He was pulled to the surface and finally saw the dark grey sky overhead. He was pushed upwards towards the air and he was able to breathe, but the person under him, whoever it was, was under the water. He struggled against the person in panic, and was hit hard in the shoulder. "Stop it, Fili! You have to trust me. Just listen to me and follow my orders. Do you understand?"

It was Rylee. Rylee was holding him in her arms and keeping his head above water. It took him a moment to allow her words into his panicked mind. He tried to talk, but the water in his throat would not allow him speech, all he could do was nod.

"Good! Just kick your feet! Let me take us out!" Rylee yelled over the loud rushing of the water. Then they were cutting across the current towards the bank. Fili kicked as hard as he could, he did his best to follow her orders. He could not see where they were going, and could only trust that she could see what was happening. He felt a sudden drag and they were swept around, looking up he could see low branches hanging down.

"Your feet Fili, find the ground, we are in the shallows!" Rylee's voice called over the rush of the water, right by his ear. He searched for the ground under his feet, and sure enough, there it was, the hard silt and rocky bottom of the river. He gathered his feet under him and moved closer to the bank. There was a crack and a snap behind him and a shriek. He spun and saw Rylee holding tight to a branch that was hanging precariously over the water. She was struggling to get her feet under her in the quick current. Fili struggled back to her and grabbed her hand, hauling her towards the shore. Together they crawled to the river's edge. They rested there for a long moment, both of them coughing up water.

"Are you alright, Fili?" Rylee asked as she pulled herself to her feet. She held out her hand to help him up.

Fili accepted gratefully, as he slowly stood, "Thank you, Rylee, for pulling me out."

"Well, I obviously wasn't going to let you drown, Fili," Rylee said with a smirk, "I would miss my favorite target."

"I knew you were using me! You saucy minx!" Fili chuckled softly as they started to walk back up to camp. They were much farther downstream than he anticipated, so they had to walk back up to the camp.

Rylee was in her bare feet and picking her way carefully over the jagged ground. The loose shale shifted under her feet as she passed over it. She pushed away the discomfort of the bite of the rock into her flesh. Fili was the first to see Kili, unmoving on the ground, Oin attending to him. It was then that Rylee remembered that Ulmo was going to help her 'other friend'.

With a shared look of horror Fili and Rylee ran the rest of the way, Fili grabbed her wrist and pulled her behind him. Rylee ignored the rocks cutting into the bottoms of her feet. She only needed Kili to be okay. She fell to her knees at Kili's side as Thorin grabbed Fili and hugged him tight to his chest, thankful that he was alright.

Rylee was hauled back to her feet as Oin moved to her side. "No! Kili!"

"Let Oin help him, Rylee," Thorin ordered as he forcibly turned her towards him. He looked down at her, taking her in, surveying her. His heart was pounding with worry and fear for her safety. Fili was all right, Rylee saved him from drowning, but Rylee was pale as death. She was a mess, debris in her hair, soaked through, her eyes wild with worry. "Are you all right, Rylee, are you hurt?"

"I am fine!" Rylee said trying to turn back toward Kili, but Thorin pulled her against him in a tight hug. He patted her down, asking her a dozen more times, if she was sure she was okay. She assured him she was fine, and then stood together with Thorin and Fili, waiting to see if there was any way Oin could save Kili. Silent tears streamed down her face, she was wrapped in the arms of Thorin and Fili, as they watched and prayed that Kili would be okay. She had no warning, no dreams, no premonitions that told her how to change this. She had no way to save Kili. Rylee never felt as helpless as she did at that moment.

"It was the oddest thing, Balin," Dwalin said shaking his head, looking down at Kili, a grave expression on his face, "We would have lost him completely, but he seemed to get hung up on something in the water and we were able to reach him. It was like he was being pushed to the surface. I just hope it was in time."

The entire Company waited on bated breath around them. Rylee's heart was clenched tight in fear, as she watched Oin press hard on Kili's chest, and turn him on his side to force the water out of his lungs. Suddenly he was coughing, sputtering, and throwing up water from both his stomach and his lungs. Oin slammed him on the back a few more times afterwards to encourage more coughing and ejection of water from his lungs. Finally, Kili could breathe.

Rylee couldn't stop the tears, even as relief swelled in her, seeing that he was okay. It was still several minutes later before he was strong enough to stand, and even then Thorin and Fili helped him to his bedroll. Then Oin shooed everyone away, so he could take care of his patient. Her presence was not needed, so she just stayed out of the way. She went to the edge of the river, and whispered, "Thank you Ulmo, for saving my Beloved."

His watery form appeared in the raging water before her and he smiled gently, "Your Beloved? In that case, you are most welcome, dear child. Visit again soon."

Mikhaul and Dendra were safe, back in the camp with the others, some of the packs could be salvaged, but others were long gone. Within minutes of the aftermath, there were grumblings that the only packs that were lost were the ones containing the majority of their food, so Fili and Thorin and Dwalin set out to go hunting for their dinner. Rylee offered up the use of her bow to Thorin, so that they would have a better chance at shooting some game, if they came across some. Two bows were better than one. All three blinked in surprise at the offer, since her bow was one of her most cherished weapons. After some insistence, Thorin took Rylee's bow, and Fili took Kili's.

Action in the camp came to a standstill as Thorin departed, everyone looking around at each other, not sure what to do. Rylee started calling out commands to the others. Ori and Nori went off to care for the horses and ponies, with Mikhaul's help. Bofur and Bombur, she told to start preparing the vegetables for when their hunters returned. Dori and Bifur she sent to dig trenches for latrines. Gloin was still working over the wood in his fire pit, and Balin was hauling somewhat dry wood into camp. Once everyone was back to work, she made her way back to Kili's lean-to, limping and picking her way, trying to find a comfortable way to walk on her injured feet. Oin was gone, and Kili was awake staring glumly at the back side of the shelter.

"Kili?" Rylee said tentatively. Not sure if she would be welcome or not. He didn't turn toward her, or say a word, he just stared at the back of the shelter, his chest rising and falling with steady breath. She sat down uninvited near his feet and hugged her knees to her chest. She turned her head, so she could watch him. His chest rising and falling, she was so thankful. She closed her eyes and confessed, "I was afraid that you would die."

He looked up at her words, words of worry for him. She was the one who dived into the water to rescue Fili, she was the one who pushed Fili to the surface, and allowed herself to go under. After seeing both his brother and his love swept away, he feared he would lose them. Seeing her there, soaked through, her thin tunic plastered to her form, it was too much. He wanted her against him. He needed her, needed her in his arms. He needed to feel for himself that she was truly safe, "I already told you, you won't lose me, Rylee."

She opened her eyes to see him sitting up, his face a mere inch or two from hers. She raised her head to look at him better and within seconds found herself pulled under him, his lips brushing against hers. His hands were tangled in her hair. She looked up at him in surprise, wondering exactly how he pulled that maneuver. His leg locked around hers, pinning her against him. Thigh to thigh, hip to hip, chest to chest, he had her pinned. Her heart went from being full stop, to pounding against her chest. She brushed her fingertips against his jaw.

"Kili," she started. Rylee didn't get the chance to say anything else, as she was swept away by kiss after drugging kiss. The heat coiled tighter and tighter in her belly, her heart raced, her toes curled. To the point that she was mindless with some need that she could not possibly explain. Her hands were touching his face, his soft stubble and his hair. When he let her breathe, it was in breathless gasps.

"Rylee, I need you." Kili sighed. His hand was on her hip pressing her hard against him. Then it moved to her belly and her ribs and brushed against her breast. He felt her through her thin tunic, so sweet, so pliable, warm soft flesh. He needed more, he needed to be closer. He continued to kiss her as he pushed the wet fabric of both her tunic and her chemise up, baring her belly, her ribs, revealing her pale, smooth skin. He groaned at the sight of his hand on her pale flesh. His fingers brushed the underside of her breast and she arched to meet his touch, gasping his name as he did so.

The sound of his name on her lips was all he needed. Taking her mouth again, he tasted her, and reveled in her sweetness. When he pulled away he trailed kisses over her jaw and to the sensitive spot he found behind her ear. He nuzzled into her for a long moment, as his left hand brushed under her tunic and over her breast, his thumb circling her hardened nipple. She arched into him again, moaning his name. She was perfect for him. He could take her, she wanted him, and he could feel it. It hit him again that she desired him. Not once did she push him away. "You are sweet torment, Rylee."

He touched his forehead to hers and reluctantly forced his hand from under her tunic. He was at war with himself. Mahal, what was wrong with him? He did need her. He did want her, but not just for one night, and not in the middle of a camp. He pulled away from her, and began righting her clothes. His heart was pounding in his chest. "I need you, but not like this. I mean-. There are too many people-, you are part of the company-, I could not disrespect you like this in front of all of them."

"Kili?"She looked up at him completely bemused. Not like what? She didn't understand. Especially when he refused to let her up, keeping her pinned underneath him. His body on top of hers, one hand was trying to fix her clothes, all the while brushing against the flesh at the waist of her breaches, branding her with every gentle stroke of his fingers. She saw the lust in his eyes as he looked down at her.

"Just, give me a minute," Kili said as he struggled to memorize her every curve as her body pressed against him, but that only made the desire worse. He closed his eyes and tried to push it away. It took several minutes to calm his raging need for her. Finally he felt enough control to let her up. They sat there together for several minutes in complete silence before he looked at her. Really looked at her. Her hair was a complete mess from jumping into the river. The many braids were tangled and knotted. The long tresses were snarled and filled with debris. Her thin tunic was still clinging to her form, the wrinkles made it obvious where he pulled it up. Her breaches were still wet, and her feet were bare and bloody, "Rylee-."

"Um, I need to go," Rylee said scrambling to her feet, stumbling forward, ignoring the pain that continued to plague her. She needed space to think about this. What in the world was she doing? Was she really about to allow him to be so intimate? Was she really that reckless of her own desires? No, he was her One, she loved him, but could she just give him everything, without knowing if he felt the same? What if he was just using her? Many times she saw lust in the eyes of her suitors, they wanted something she could not give them, and she was able to keep them at bay. With Kili she was weak, she wanted him. She needed him in ways that she didn't even understand.

"Rylee, wait!" Kili called after her as she nearly ran from him. He was an idiot. He basically told her that if they were someplace else, he would take advantage of her. That was not what he meant at all! And damn it, she needed to take care of those cuts on her feet.

Her feet were killing her, but she had to get dry and cleaned up, and she needed to gather her gear from where she left it farther downstream. She didn't even get two feet before Nori came up to her with her gear. All of it was carefully folded and stacked. "I found your things by the river. Thought you might want them back."

"Thank you, Nori," Rylee smiled taking them from him, then frowned as she took in the odd expression on his face. "What? What is it Nori?"

"It's all there," He mumbled in response, not quite meeting her eyes, "I swear I didn't take anything. I did clean it though, your mail needed oiling."

Rylee smirked at him, his nature was known to her, often the others would notice items missing from their packs in the morning and by evening they were returned to their owner. He never tried to take things from her though, she often wondered why. "I believe you, Nori. You have never taken anything from me."

"It would be sacrilege to take from Mahalul," Nori whispered softly and Rylee tilted her head so she could force him to meet her eyes.

"I appreciate that, Nori, but I trust that it is also because you are my friend," Rylee told him, as Nori straightened he met her eye and smiled. With a quick nod he ambled away, back towards the horses, and Rylee turned back to her lean-to. She sat on her bedroll, doing her best to ignore Kili. His lean-to faced hers and he was sitting under the awning watching her like a hungry hawk.

Using her bath sheet she covered the open side so she could have privacy to change her sodden clothes. The lean-to was cramped and small and didn't offer much room for movement, she had to shimmy out of her soaked clothes, which were making everything difficult by sticking to her flesh. Finally she got the wet things off and she threw them to the end of the small structure and she started to pull on her fresh underwear. Her flesh was still clammy, and even her soft dry underclothes were sticking to her.

He sat in his lean-to, and looked at the towel, knowing she was behind it, trying to dry off. He could hear her grunting and swearing behind it, her wet garments appeared at the foot of the little shelter and Kili swore to himself as he realized that she was in there completely nude. The image of her at the waterfall and the feel of her soft flesh combined and he was certain that he was going to come undone. He stared at the towel as though it was his enemy until suddenly it came down to reveal Rylee clothed only in a dry thin chemise and soft white pantalets. Her beautiful bare pale legs were displayed delectably as she tied the ribbon at her waist. Instantly, lust flared through him, wanting nothing more than to explore that flesh, untie that ribbon.

"Damn it, Rylee, you make this so difficult," Kili groaned in distress and Rylee met his eyes and began to curse. Most of the Khuzdul she used were negative descriptions of herself. Rylee was not nice to herself in any way as she struggled to put the towel back over the frame. Kili crawled over and grabbed the corner of the towel. "You are none of those things, Rylee. Just hurry, I will hold the towel up."

She whimpered in response, she was so stupid. It took her a moment to get over her humiliation before she pulled her pile of gear closer. Knowing that Kili was just on the other side of the towel somehow made the whole situation that much worse. He kept finding her in the most compromising situations. She scrambled to dress, pulling on stockings, breaches, and her mail and tunic. When finally she was somewhat dryer, she whispered, "I am done Kili."

Kili pulled the thin sheet away and folded it up and handed it to Rylee as she crawled out of her shelter wedging her feet into her boots as she went. Hearing her whimper as she stood, he watched her with concern, as she moved around camp. "Rylee, are you all right?"

"It's nothing, I will be fine," She said as she hobbled, limped, and favored both feet as she made herself a makeshift clothesline in an attempt to dry out the other gear. Her feet were killing her, but she was not willing to admit defeat.

He watched her, thinking she was crazy as she strung her clothes out to dry, it would never dry in the rain, without a fire. That was until she grabbed Fili's shovel and moved to make a small pit. Seeing what she intended to do Kili grabbed the shovel from her hands and proceeded to make a fire pit. Then he grabbed the wood from her arms and filled it. The wood wasn't even dry, yet he still piled it into the pit, because it was what Rylee wanted. He turned back to see that she had strung a tarp overtop the clothes line, to keep the rain from soaking the drying clothes, "Anything else I can do, Rylee?"

"No, thank you, Kili," Rylee shook her head. "Put your clothes on the line. You can't stay in your soggy gear. You will get sick, especially after consuming that much river water."

She knelt over the fire pit, and placed her hand underneath several pieces of wood, she whispered something and suddenly a flame leapt up and caught the wood on fire, "What are you waiting for? It's not like I have not seen a man in long underwear before, besides, you will dry out faster if you have fewer layers."

"When did you see a man in long underwear?" Kili asked, a feeling of anger rose in him, unexpected and unwanted. The rage he felt was even hotter than when he watched Rylee interacting with the rest of the company. He grabbed the remains of a large fallen tree and rolled it up to the fire, as a seat.

"You mean, other than the barracks tents, when I was escorting Kaia? I was on the road with Turin, going after Glaurung, the same thing happened to him. He fell into a river and we needed to get him dry quickly so we could continue." Rylee said as she looked up at Kili who was still standing in his wet clothes. "Stop being a girl about it, Kili, you have seen me in less."

Kili forgot about her mentioning being in the barracks tents. Kaia was her healer friend and it only made sense that she would need Rylee there for protection. He sighed and removed his jacket, and both of his tunics, but he left his breaches on. Then he hung his stuff beside hers. He looked at their belongings side by side on the rope and decided that he liked the look of it. Now if only he could get her to wear some of his colors. Durin blue would look pretty on her. He sat straddling the large log and looked at her as she added more wood to the small fire.

Oin and Gloin looked up from their soggy pile of wood and saw Rylee's fire. The shock on their faces was comical until they realized who started the fire. Gloin called over to her, "Mahalul! Don't just sit there. Come help us get this going."

Oin smacked Gloin on the shoulder, "Where are your manners, brother?"

"Fine, help us get this going, tonight," Gloin smirked.

Rylee laughed, that was as close as she was ever going to get to a please. She hobbled over to the other fire pit and within moments a bright fire was licking at the wood. "I only do this because you asked so nice, Gloin."

Oin smacked him again, and Gloin growled, "What? She thought it was funny!"

"She's Mahalul!" Oin bellowed loudly in Gloin's ear. "She is magic! The fire should have been lit an hour ago, and we should be grateful for her."

"I am grateful, you overloud goat! I was just teasing the lass!" Gloin bellowed back.

Rylee shook her head with a wry smirk as she limped back to her own fire and added some more wood. "I don't think I have ever heard those two argue before."

"Sit in front of me Rylee, I want to fix your hair," Kili said softly, once she was finished tending their fire. Her hair was still a complete mess, filled with debris and it was drying in thick mats. Her eyes went wide in surprise for a moment, then a small smile lifted her lips and she did as he requested. She settled herself in front of him on the tree trunk, sitting cross legged in front of him. He started at the ends, combing through her hair, from the ends up to the roots. He separated the braids and pulled the debris from the intricate plaits and knots that were woven into it. He released her clip so he could work on the roots of her hair, he heard her sigh as he massaged the matted knots away from her scalp. "You said braiding causes you pain, that hair touching causes you pain."

"Yes, it usually does," Rylee said softly, still reeling from the fact that every time his fingers touched her hair, warmth would spill through her like liquid fire. Everyone caused her pain, even the Valar caused pain, and they were her makers, but when Kili touched her hair, it was like someone set fire to her insides. Why was Kili so different? Was it because he was her One?

"I am not hurting you, am I?" Kili whispered softly as he combed out leafs and sticks, and even a dead spider, he would not tell her about that one.

"No, Kili, you are not hurting me," Rylee whispered in return. He was combing through the hair at her scalp and she felt the contented sigh leave her throat as her eyes closed. This was bliss.

Even after he was satisfied that he got all the debris out and it was combed through sufficiently, he continued brushing his fingers through the soft waves, helping it to dry. He fought the temptation to add a braid to her hair, to mark her as his. Reluctantly he fixed it in the exact manner that she always wore it. When he was done he pulled her hair to fall down her back, planted a quick kiss behind her ear, and was rewarded with a soft moan.

"Thank you, Kili." Rylee said turning towards him. There was something soft and unreadable in her eyes and he wondered what she was thinking. "May I return the favor?"

He looked at her for a moment and nodded. They both turned so that he sat in front of her and she started combing through his hair. Her fingers were gentle and quick, she loosened up the knots and pulled away the debris, unclasping his clip he felt it release in her fingers, his hair fell around his face, and his heart stopped for a fraction of a second. Never before had he let any maid touch his hair, much less care for it, it was always off limits. He felt her scoot closer as she worked through the top of his scalp. She was shorter than he and had to get closer to work through it. Her fingers were like magic, each time she combed through a lock he felt an urge to sigh in pleasure. He could feel her press against him, her warmth against his back as she worked through his hair. All too soon it was over, his clip was back in his hair and she was moving away.

"Thank you, Rylee," He told her softly as he watched her brush all of the debris off of their seat and onto the forest floor. "Not just for fixing my hair, but for saving Fili."

She met his eyes and gave him a small smile but said nothing in return. She stared into the fire, seemingly lost in thought, Kili watched her, thinking that she looked beautiful in the glow of the small fire. He thought about his experience in the river, and the odd voice that he remembered, telling him to stay calm.

"Rylee, when you went into the sea with the Dragon of Gondolin, did you drown?" Kili asked her softly.

"Aye, but Uncle Ulmo was there, he helped keep me calm," Rylee met his eyes and watched him carefully, "Did you see him, Kili?"

"No," Kili smirked, "I heard him, he told me to remain calm, and that help would arrive soon. You have an interesting family, Rylee. I just wish I could meet them under less dire circumstances."

"Me too, but they are the Valar, they will not show up unless there is great need," She whispered as she looked into the fire. "I am just grateful that he was nearby, Ulmo is often far away in the seas and lakes of Middle-Earth. He is not overly fond of small creeks and puddles."

"I am doubly thankful that he was at hand then," Kili said softly. He watched her closely, she seemed pensive and lost for a long moment. He wondered if he should leave her to her thoughts. Then she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and he was consumed by the desire to kiss her. He wanted to nibble on her bottom lip, run the tip of his tongue against it and taste her, he needed to go before he mauled her again.

"Would you like to help me make some shafts for my arrows?" Rylee blurted out as Kili rose, she didn't want him to go. She nearly lost him once already, and was not ready to have him out of her sight. She wanted him to stay close to her. Seeing him so near death, it nocked something loose within her, it scared her more than anything else in her life ever had. Meeting Ungoliant was terrifying, losing Kili though, that was one thing she could not handle. The very thought shook her to the core. Losing Kili would destroy her.

"You mean go collect the wood for them?" Kili asked in confusion.

"No, I already did that, they have been curing for several days," Rylee smiled softly as she thought about tramping through the forest in the rain. "I meant debarking and straightening them."

"Oh, all right," Kili looked at her for a long moment. He would have loved to spend time with her alone in the forest. However, considering his lack of control lately, it probably would not be the best idea. "I would love to."

"Great, I will just go, Oh-!" Rylee said as she stood, she sat back down, pulling her feet back off the ground. She had forgotten about the cuts from the loose shale, she forgot about the pain that came from them.

"Your feet! Rylee, why haven't you had Oin check them yet?" Kili said as he jumped to his feet and turned on her. He knelt down and pulled off her boots. She started to protest, but he growled at her and reached up her pant leg and pulled down her stockings before she could say another word. "Oin! Come here and look at Rylee's feet!"

Gloin nudged his brother, who was not paying any attention and didn't hear half of what was said. The grey bearded healer stood and ambled over, "What is it Boy? What is wrong with your seat?"

"Rylee's feet, Master Oin," Kili rolled his eyes and shook his head, "her feet are all cut up."

Oin knelt down in front of Rylee and picked up one of her feet, examining the bottoms. He tut-tutted her and went back to his lean-to for his medicine pack. "Not just cut up, Lad, she still has a few rocks in there."

"Rylee Emitheral, you should have had these looked at right away!" Gloin took one look and admonished her in a fatherly way. Kili smirked, it was the same way that Gloin would take after his son Gimli when he did something Gloin thought improper. "To think we had you traipsing all over camp on those gouges, you should not be walking at all. Oy! What Mahal must think of me!"

"Mahal likes you just fine, Gloin," Rylee quipped with a wry grin, "Me, he thinks I am stubborn, reckless, obtuse, overly adventurous, mischievous, cheeky, and an incomparable brat. Imp, monster, and rebel were among many other things he has called me over the years."

"You are all those and more, you little fool, to be limping around on those for the past two hours," Gloin pointed at her feet as he shook his head in frustration, both at himself and at Rylee, "What are we going to do with you, Lass?"

"No wonder you can't walk Rylee," Kili looked from her feet to her face. The soft pink pads were etched with fine cuts and there were indeed a few sharp rocks still stuck in her flesh. He had no idea how she didn't notice earlier. "Why did you take off your boots in the first place?"

"So I wouldn't be weighed down in the water. After that incident in the slough, I found out that Dragon skin is really heavy when it's wet," Rylee said quietly, not quite meeting his eyes, "and I didn't expect to be running back to camp over the shale fields by the river's edge."

"Kili, go fetch some water, Gloin boil it up, the river water is already starting to cause an infection," Oin said as he returned with his pack and once again knelt down in front of her. He started cleaning away most of the smaller rocks first, wiping them away with a dry cloth. He put the cloth aside and pulled out a small pair of tweezers, and began digging out the more embedded stones. She tried to breathe past the discomfort as he worked. "You have small feet for a dwarf, Miss Rylee."

"Really? I am not sure if I should be pleased or insulted," She quipped at the observation, then yelped as Oin pulled out a particularly stuck sliver of shale.

"You have adorable feet, Rylee," Kili said looking down at her small ankles and the small pads that Oin was currently pulling another sliver out of. He wanted to tickle her delicate little toes, which were much different than his larger rounded ones. He carried several bandages in his hands as Gloin carried over a large bowl of steaming water.

Gloin chuckled at the comment, "They are cute, for feet, but then, she is still just a girl, Kili."

"I will take it as a compliment then, and whoever disagrees can go jump in the river," Rylee said with a wince as Oin started cleaning out the wounds with hot water. The heat didn't bother her at all, it was the pressure against the raw flesh that hurt. "It's a good thing we are not walking, or the next few days would be torture. I have never been so thankful for Mikhaul."

"No worries lass, we will get you cleaned up and road worthy in a jiffy," Oin said with a pat to her knee. He was true to his word. Once the debris was pulled out of each foot, he had her cleaned up, and a thick salve spread over the pads of her feet. The only problem was that she was not allowed to move from her seat on the log. "Keep them exposed to air for the next few hours, and do not walk on them tonight. I will check them again in the morning."

"So now what?" Rylee asked as the healer moved back to the other fire, along with his brother. Kili put another couple of pieces of wood on the fire then turned back to sit with her.

"We can still make your arrow shafts, if you like, just tell me where to find them," Kili offered as he watched her stare into the flames, her grey eyes sparkled brightly and her bare feet dangled a few inches above the ground. In that moment she did look almost childlike.

She met his eyes with a small grin, "They are in my pack. Would you grab it for me?"

"Sure," Kili jumped up and turned to her lean-to, within moments he was back with the black satchel, setting it on the log beside her. He watched as she opened it up and pulled out a leather wrapped bundle and set it beside them. She reached back into the bag and hesitated for a long moment.

"Kili?" her voice was little more than a whisper, and Rylee nearly shook with fear as she held the thick metal cuff in her hand. She could feel his eyes on her as she hesitated, and she blushed deeply. "If I gave you something, would you wear it? As – as a t-token of my favor? A Token of Suit?"

"You would give me a token, Rylee?" Kili asked quietly, he moved the leather bound branches to the forest floor and sat beside her, close enough that his knee brushed hers.

"Aye, if you would accept it," Rylee said pulling out a leather bound item from her pack. She was not meeting his eyes, the fiery maid was suddenly bashful and Kili noticed the pink flush that warmed her pale skin. She held the item reverently, in both hands, as though it was precious to her, and Kili realized that she was offering it to him as though she was offering a part of herself. She was offering her love.

Kili swallowed past the sudden lump that filled his throat. She had accepted his courtship. For weeks he was hoping for this, her token. He knew that if there was a time to walk away from this, it was now. There would be no turning back if he accepted the item. She moved the item into one hand and with the other she opened the leather to reveal her token.

It was a wide black cuff, meant to go around a man's wrist, it was beautifully made. It had a trigger type lock, much like a clasp, and opened in half so that it could be put on with ease. The thick black metal was welded, etched and engraved with his personal emblem design, combined with what he could only guess was hers. There was a bright silver pearlescent sheen to the shell that was inlayed in it. He recognized it immediately. Dragon scale. It looked like she had painstakingly cut and carved one of the massive scales into small chips, and then layered them, to look like the metal was coated in miniature dragon scales. The scales were framed with black diamonds and bright sapphires. It was easily the most beautiful wrist cuff he had ever seen. It was light enough and thin enough that he could wear it under his leather gauntlets.

"I would be honored, Rylee," Kili said as his heart pounded in his chest. She was honoring him with a handmade token made from a scale of the dragon they killed together. The next step was to convince her to wear a courting braid. His courting braid.


	16. Down By The River PT2 Footloose

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**So, umm, this chapter is actually a continuation of the last one, which became HUGE, so here is part 2**

Chapter 16

May 24

Down By The River - Part 2

Hunting took much longer than they thought it would, but they were hugely successful and what they took down would feed the company for a few days. Thorin could not believe the accuracy of Rylee's bow. It was no wonder that she called it 'True' for it was built to perfection. Every shot was dead on. It just made Thorin wonder why Rylee could still not hit the target, even though he had seen the odd phenomenon since she was barely a child.

"Hair combing, but still no braids," Bofur said to Fili as Thorin, Fili, and Dwalin reentered camp carrying a small deer, three large rabbits, and a pair of wild turkey's between the three of them. Bofur was helping Bombur cut up some more of Rylee's vegetables for their stew. Their eyes flicked to the couple sitting on a large log beside a small fire that was built between their lean-tos, and the nearby clothesline with their garments close by.

"They combed each other's hair?" Thorin asked with a note of surprise, that was progress. Kili hated when people other than family tried to touch his hair. Rylee hated having her hair combed, screamed as a child when Varda would brush her hair, and she had the most gentle hands. Balin said that she winced when Thorin put his braid in her hair, though she tried to hide it.

"Aye, they helped each other clean up," Bofur grinned at Fili, "Been rather cozy ever since."

"Why are braids and combing important?" Bilbo asked, his curiosity was piqued, "Rylee said that it was offensive for another to touch her hair without permission, but why is it important that Kili and Rylee touch hair?"

"It is an intimate act in our culture," Ori informed him from his seat by the fire. For once his journal was hidden safely in his pack, being kept dry in the rain. "Kili is trying to court Rylee, but he is doing everything backwards. She is supposed to make the first initiative, by giving him a courting bead. Then he should have asked her to accept a courting braid first before all this chasing, kissing, and cuddling he has been doing."

"Actually Ori, Rylee told us that in the First Age, the male pursued the female. The male would prove to his intended Dwarrowdam that he was a worthy mate and make her a personal token, an item that held meaning for both parties. Once she accepted him, she would ask him to exchange courting braids followed by the wedding." Bofur informed them quietly. "I wonder how long they would have to wait before they marry."

"A minimum of three courting days," Gandalf informed them as he took a draw from his pipe.

"How do you know this Gandalf?" Thorin asked, bristling a little. Dwarvish customs were very well kept secrets, even the most ancient of them.

"Rylee, told me," Gandalf said with a wry grin. "She told me that she was lucky that Oropher didn't find her courting bead, or she and Thranduil would have been as good as married. Once a Dwarf receives a courting braid, intimacy is allowed. In Elven culture, such intimacy is an immediate act of marriage. Because Rylee would only allow a Dwarven ritual, by with-holding her bead, Rylee effectively held off the marriage. Two beads make a mated pair."

"Rylee already has a courting bead?" Bilbo asked in surprise, he wondered if Kili or Mikhaul knew this.

Gandalf and Thorin both chuckled and looked at the Hobbit. Thorin was the one to respond, "Of course she does, she made it before she left Aman. It is tradition. A courting bead is one of the first things a Dwarrowdam learns to forge. Some Dwarfs never make one, seeing as they prefer their craft to anything else, and others like Fili and Kili make one as soon as they are of age. As Princes it is their duty to marry and carry on the Durin line."

"So Kili is courting Rylee?" Bilbo asked as he watched the couple across the camp. They were working with each other, cleaning and straightening long, straight, branches to be turned into arrows.

"I had to make one for my Ami," Gloin said softly as he looked once again at the picture of his wife, all this courting business was making him miss his family. "I thought that I would only ever prefer the book-keeping and ledgers, but when Ami offered me her courting bead, I fell arse over tea-kettle for her and had to go make my bead."

"I never intend to marry," Oin admitted softly, looking at the group, "so I don't have a bead, don't intend to make one either."

"Whereas I have a bead," Bofur said with a cheeky grin, "There must be a lass out there for me somewhere."

"What is it going to take for the fool to claim her already?" Fili grumbled shaking his head. They set the deer down and started to skin it. They already cleaned it in the forest, not wanting the entrails close to camp to lure predators or worse, they just needed to skin it so Bombur could cook it. "It is not like they have to worry about these customs while on the Quest."

"Of course they have to follow customs, Fili, their King and guardian are in their presence," Thorin told him. It seemed that Fili was more than accepting of having Rylee as his sister-in-law. "Rylee has to give him the token she made before he has any right to claim her."

"Rylee finished Kili's token?" Fili asked in surprise, he glanced at Rylee. She was sitting with her knee brushing against Kili's as they worked together.

"Aye, she asked me to bless it earlier today, she seems quite hesitant about whether to give it to him," Thorin watched them guardedly. She was doing her best to guard her heart, but nearly losing Kili today may have changed her mind. "They are young, but they are good for each other."

"You are right about that, motion stopped in camp when you left to hunt, Rylee whipped everyone back to work," Balin said with a smile. Thorin looked around at the camp, the ponies were calm and cared for, under the direction of Mikhaul and Nori. Latrines were dug, shelters were built, and the Company was taking initiative to dry out their belongings, obviously taking their cue from the young Queen. "And Kili has been helping her with everything since she's been injured."

"Injured? What do you mean injured?" Thorin asked in surprise, he asked her before she left if she was all right. She assured him that she was fine.

"She cut up her feet on the shale beds at the river," Oin told him, "walked around camp for a couple of hours, calling out orders, getting things straightened out. Kili is the one who told us about the injury."

"Mahal, will the girl ever learn? Too damn stubborn to admit defeat," Thorin asked shaking his head. She never seemed to want to ask for help.

"It's a good thing Kili was there, Thorin," Gloin said looking over at the couple as they worked together by their small fire. "Rylee's feet are a mess."

"They do suit each other don't they?" Bilbo asked no one in particular, it was more a statement than any real question.

Thorin's curiosity got the better of him, he wanted to know if his hunch was right, and he had the perfect excuse to check. He needed to return Rylee's bow, the same bow that he used to kill the deer and both the turkeys. "Bombur get this roasted. Use both fires."

"Do you think she gave it to him?" Dwalin asked, looking at the pair sitting beside their fire working together.

"That is what we are going to find out," Thorin grinned at Dwalin as he carried the bow with him. Thorin and Dwalin moved closer to the young couple who were sitting beside the fire. Rylee and Kili both had long branches and daggers in their hands. They were obviously working on stripping the shafts to make arrows. They were discussing arrowheads and feathers as he approached with Rylee's bow. Rylee looked relaxed, sitting sideways on the large trunk, her knee brushing Kili's. It was the only point of contact, yet she was blushing. He waited for her to hand Kili the cleaned shaft before he handed her the bow, saying, "If you make your arrows as well as you did the bow, you will have the perfect weapon, Mahalul."

"Thank you, Ugshar," Rylee said softly. She accepted the bow, carefully propping it beside her, against the log. "I take it you were successful with your hunt, then?"

"Aye. What happened to your feet?" Thorin asked looking down at Rylee's bare feet, her toes were curled and her ankles crossed hanging inches off of the ground. He could see the slightly brown tint of drying blood through the thick salve that covered the portion of her pads that he could see.

"I cut them up when running back from the river with Fili," Rylee said quietly, her attention remained on cleaning the bark off of the branch that she was working on. She glanced up at him before she removed another strip, "Oin cleaned them up and put on a salve, they will be better in a few days."

"You didn't think to mention that when I asked you if you were all right," Thorin admonished her gently, raising an eyebrow at her.

She looked up at him, and then her eyes turned towards Kili, "It was not all that important at the time."

Thorin understood her meaning, seeing both Fili and Kili swept away was hard enough on him. But to see Kili pale and so close to death was beyond belief, he was certain that he was going to go mad with grief. Rylee was a complete mess when he tried to pull her away from Kili's side. He and Fili had to physically haul her away. He didn't think the little War Maiden could be brought to such a state, but then she was a child with the gifts of the Valar. She had a great capacity for love and affection. With great love could bring great pain.

"Yes, we had too many close calls this day," Thorin agreed softly. Meeting Kili's eyes, he didn't think Kili knew what was happening around him at the time, but he was certain that Fili would tell him all about it later. Kili reached one of the newly cut shafts over the fire and Thorin noticed the metal cuff on Kili's left wrist immediately. Rylee had given him her token, and Kili accepted it. Thorin barely held his grin in check.

"The string of your bow, what is it made of?" Dwalin asked as he stood before her, watching her and Kili work side by side. They worked well together, Rylee was stripping the cured boughs and cut them to length while Kili heated them over the fire and straightened each shaft. He noticed the cuff on Kili's wrist as well and met Thorin's gaze with a smirk of his own.

"A few strands of Mikhaul's hair twined with some of mine." Rylee looked up at him with a small smile. "Mikhaul's hair is strong as steel and yet flexible, while mine will never burn."

Dwalin picked up one of the completed shafts and inspected it for flaws, but like Rylee's other weapons he found none. They were simple, but straight, hard, and light. Depending on her arrowheads and her flights they would make fine ammunition for her bow. "What kind of tips are you thinking?"

"Trilobate tips, I was thinking of making a set of four Blood Mithril tips, four Black Iron, and a dozen steel." Rylee smiled at him. "I just need a proper forge to make them, since I cannot do that kind of work without the proper tools. As much as I love the privacy of a small fire, there is nothing like working the forge."

"You planning on going after the dragon with those tips?" Dwalin asked quietly, wondering what else she might think she would need armor piercing tips for.

"Balrogs, Trolls, Dragons, Werewolves, anything with a tough hide really," Rylee said with a small smile as she finished peeling the bark off of the last arrow shaft and cutting it to size. "This is the last one Kili."

"Good timing, I think Bombur wants our fire," Kili said with a smile as he took the final shaft from Rylee's hands. Bombur was on his way with a rack and the small deer, ready to be roasted over the fire. He waited for Kili to be finished and then set the rack up and set the deer to roast. Rylee moved to step down, reaching for her stockings and boots. Kili looked at her arching a brow, "What do you think you are doing?"

"Going to use the latrine?" Rylee responded as though she was questioning why he was asking.

"You can't walk there, Oin said to stay off your feet, and the salve hasn't soaked in yet so you cannot put your stockings or boots back on." Kili told her, standing up. Rylee looked at him with wide eyes, it was obvious that she was thinking about all the things that she would need help with over the following days. A blush brightened her face as she thought about her personal needs that she attended to. "Arms up, I will carry you."

"Oh no! Kili, no!" Rylee protested heatedly, she was completely mortified. Dwalin and Thorin snickered softly as they walked away, not at all wanting to be part of the conversation. Kili didn't give her much of a choice. He easily swung her into his arms and carried her across camp towards the latrines, ignoring her shrieks of protest.

Latrines was a nice way of saying a pit in the ground with a log that a person could hang their bottom over in order to do their business. In the forest the only proper cleaning tools were leaves and moss. It was one of the many reasons why Rylee liked to bathe regularly. She could barely stand doing this alone, now she was to have a bloody audience? What a way to start a courtship. Being utterly dependant on him for mobility was one thing, but for this? She was absolutely mortified and was even more so when Kili asked, "How should we do this?"

"You will set me down and go off a ways, and I will figure out the rest," Rylee told him matter-of-factly, there was no way that she was going to allow him to hang around while she did her business. "I will call you when I am done."

Kili chuckled softly and did as she asked, giving her the time and space she needed. He couldn't help but think of all the things that she would need help with over the following week or so while her feet healed. Getting on and off Mikhaul, moving around camp, using the latrines, she would finally not have to do so many chores, but then he would be the one to pick up her slack. There was no way he would allow her to feel like she was a burden to any of the company. As her suitor it only made sense that he be the one to take on her responsibilities.

It was several minutes later before she called him back. She was kneeling on the log, her feet dangling over the back. She looked adorable, her face in a pained grimace, he could tell that she was rather put out by the fact that she couldn't walk around. He shook his head and silently picked her up, intending to carry her back to the camp.

"Where are you going?" Rylee asked looking up at him shocked, "Go to the river!"

"The river? Why in Durin's name would we go anywhere near the river?" Kili looked at her feeling completely perplexed.

"To wash up of course!" Rylee shot him a dark look, was he saying that he didn't wash up after doing his business, or before eating? Disgusting! That would have to change.

"I do suppose we will be eating soon. Are you always this fastidious?" Kili asked as he carried her along. She was much lighter than he would have thought, considering how strong she was. But then from the first day, he was amazed by how tiny she was in his arms.

"Fastidious no, I just prefer to be clean," Rylee told him as he set her down on the river bank, careful not to allow her feet to touch the ground. "I was taught that cleanliness was important to good health and staying strong. Whatever I am doing must be working, because I have never been sick."

"Only injured, apparently," Kili teased her gently, as she washed her hands and arms in the river water. He did the same, seeing as dinner was not too far away, judging by the smells coming from camp.

Rylee shook the water off her clean hands and chuckled lowly, "Only when absolutely necessary, Kili."

"It was not necessary for you to injure yourself, Rylee," Kili said shaking his head at her. Why did she think she needed to run over the rocks? He picked her up and carried her back to camp. He could get used to this, this closeness.

She looked up at him, he had her cradled in his arms, carrying her like a baby and not once did he complain. He had an almost satisfied smirk on his face, and she wondered briefly if he was enjoying the fact that she was unable to get around camp by herself, "I would have run faster if I could have, Kili, if it meant getting you out of the water and to safety faster. I would have run the entire way and not given any thought to injury."

"You cannot mean that," Kili whispered meeting her gaze, but he saw only sincerity in her expressive grey eyes. "What of your own safety?"

"If you or anyone I cared for were in danger, I would fight for you," Rylee told him honestly, she didn't see the point in beating around the bush. "I was trained to fight, Kili. I do not know another way."

"So what, you are not afraid to die?" Kili asked worriedly, would she really throw herself into a life threatening situation at every turn? He took her back to their campfire and sat down, keeping her on his lap.

"Of course I fear death!" Rylee looked at him with no small amount of shock. "Death is painful and terrifying, why would I not fear death?"

"Because you have already died three, possibly four times," Kili whispered, meeting her eyes. She died at the end of her quests. He tried not to think about that, but it was hard not to, she was the Daughter of Mahal after all. Perhaps he was the one to change her fate in this life.

"That only makes me fear it more," Rylee admitted softly, "but that fear would not stop me from trying to protect or save the people I care for."

"Like jumping into a raging river for my brother?" Kili asked her softly, she saved Fili, threw herself into danger to do it.

"I was in no danger there, I knew Ulmo was nearby and he was the one to teach me to swim. The only reason I drowned in my second life was because I was in the middle of the sea." Rylee smirked, as she thought back on that death, "It is rather hard to swim such a massive body of water. Ulmo was there for me then, and he was there for you today."

"How did you know he was close by?" Kili asked her, realizing that she was not at all surprised that the Vala had spoken to him, or that he kept him calm in the water.

"We spoke earlier, that was one of the reasons Mikhaul and I went ahead today," Rylee grinned at him, "Apparently Bob is really happy and found his mate. He told me that Nienna and Yavanna are talking to each other again, so that's really good news."

"Why wouldn't Yavanna and Nienna be talking?" Kili asked her, he wanted to know everything about Rylee. She was absolutely fascinating.

"Oh, um, well," Rylee blushed and lowered her eyes, her face fell a little and Kili felt bad for asking, "I sort of caused a major dispute between the Valar and nearly broke the world."

"Sort of?" Kili quirked a brow in question.

Rylee shook her head, "Not ready for that one yet, I don't want to talk about it."

"Was it really that bad Rylee?" Kili whispered softly, Rylee only nodded and looked into the fire. "Have you ever told anyone about what happened? Does Thorin know?"

"Thorin knows almost everything," Rylee sneered in annoyance, "I swear, the Valar told him everything. I couldn't get away with anything growing up."

"Growing up, so you were made as a child?" Kili couldn't help the question. He would have thought that she would have been created like the Dwarves, as full-fledged adults and learned at Mahal's side from that point on.

"I was made as a baby." Rylee nodded quietly, she tried to sit up straighter in Kili's lap but he only secured her closer. It was getting harder and harder to keep her thoughts on the serious conversation they were having. Her hand snaked around him and she curled into him. He didn't protest, in fact he pulled her closer, his right hand settling around her waist and his left around her thighs.

"You look like a baby curled up like that," Fili teased as he joined them at their fire.

Kili shot him a glare as Rylee moved to pull away, he pulled her back against him, "He's just jealous Rylee, don't mind him."

"Sorry about your feet Rylee," Fili said looking at the jagged cuts under the salve that was finally starting to soak into her skin. "I didn't realize that you were barefoot."

"I have survived much worse, Fili," Rylee nodded dismissively. There was nothing for him to apologize for. She would have run on her own, without him pulling her along.

"So you were saying that you were made as a baby?" Fili said as Balin, Dwalin and Thorin gathered around their fire.

"She was quite small if I recall, smaller than the pair of you," Thorin said with a smile, the fine lines around his eyes crinkled at the memory of her. "She already had wisps of hair, and a strong grip, even though her hand could barely wrap around my little finger."

"Were you really that small?" Kili inquired enjoying the feel of her against him. He wondered what their children might look like, would they be that small? Would they have his eyes or hers? They might have his darker coloring or would they be pale like she was? How many children did she want? One or two was the norm, four was a brood and anything more was exceedingly rare.

"She was tiny, but not for long, she grew like a bad weed," Thorin smiled at her, "Rylee learned to walk holding on to Mikhaul's tail. Her first word was Adad."

"She called Mahal, Adad?" Fili asked in amazement, peeking at Rylee who seemed hugely interested in Kili's collar all of a sudden.

"No, I called Thorin, Adad." Rylee whispered, Kili looked down and noticed that her cheeks were flushed. "My second word, according to Yavanna, was Mahal."

"And your third?" Kili asked as he tried not to be effected by her hand playing with the neckline of his tunic, her fingers brushing his skin. She was making him burn for her.

"Third? There was no third," Thorin chuckled with real mirth. Fili and Kili shared a glance. It was rare for their uncle to laugh. "She refused to say anything more than Mahal or Adad for months before she turned to Yavanna and-,"

"No, Ugshar!" Rylee gasped turning suddenly in Kili's arms, she nearly fell off of his lap, "Don't s-,"

"Said, "How come Mahal gets loud at night when you come home to visit?" Thorin continued over her interruption as though he didn't even hear her. Kili pulled Rylee back against him as she groaned in embarrassment.

She buried her face in her hands as everyone around her laughed. "I was four! I had no idea."

"Obviously, Mahalul," Dwalin chuckled at her expense.

"Quite articulate for a four year old Dwarfling," Balin teased, he remembered Thorin telling him that particular story, years ago. Thorin felt he was lucky that he was even there to see it. Apparently both Yavanna and Mahal looked about as mortified as Rylee did at that moment.

* * *

May 26

Footloose

Kili spent the next couple of days carrying Rylee around the camp, and enjoying every moment of it. Rylee, however, was slightly annoyed. Sure, she loved being around Kili, but she really missed walking. Independence was one thing she truly missed. The morning after the incident, she was allowed to stand but only for a few minutes at a time, according to Oin. This morning she was told the same thing just in case. However, he said she would be able to walk around freely the following day if she was careful.

It was still raining, and unfortunately they were unable to find a place for camp that would offer much shelter. This was why Kili, Rylee and Fili combined their bedrolls to make one large sleeping mat, layering their blankets and best waterproof cloaks on top to make a somewhat warmer shelter. Luckily, none of them had watch that night and they might all be able to have a decent night sleep if they could stay warm and dry.

They were sitting together as a group around the fire, most of the Company had out their pipes, mostly to try to keep them warm, even though the rain was dampening their spirits. Rylee was sitting cross legged by the fire pit, keeping the fire going in the drizzle of rain, relighting it when it would flicker out.

"Thank Mahal that you are with us lass," Bombur told her as he stirred the stew once again, "This stew, might taste a little off due to the constant change in temperature, but at least it will be cooked."

"Hmm, sorry, Bombur," Rylee sighed as she tried to get the flames to stay at an even height for cooking. "This is one of the reasons I can't cook. The fire reacts to my presence and my thoughts, so in enclosed spaces, like an oven, well let's just say things get a little heated?"

"Would you like a puff lass?" Bofur said as Rylee gently blew away Gandalf's smoky dragonfly. He noticed that she didn't seem to mind the pipe smoke at all. He offered her his pipe.

"Not if you want to keep your pipe," Rylee said with a small smile. "Fire in small spaces and me are not a good idea. We don't mix well."

"That's just an excuse," Nori teased her with a wink, she quirked a brow at him. "You have to prove it now."

"I'm game, but if someone's pipe turns to ash it is not my fault," Rylee grinned mischievously.

"You can use mine, love," Kili said from his seat behind her. She met his gaze with a worried look. The pipe was one of his father's pipes. It was one of the only things Kili owned that once belonged to him. She knew what it meant to him. He smiled and held out his arms to her, he trusted her. She nodded and scooted back using her hands. He lifted her up onto his lap, and took a quick draw from his pipe before handing it to her.

"Nuh-uh, you hold the pipe, there is a tiny fire in that thing and if I touch it, it will ignite," Rylee told them all, "I am going to take a draw off the pipe, when I stop, pull the pipe away quickly, get it?"

"Got it," Kili smirked.

"Good," Rylee nodded once. Kili put the pipe to her lips and Rylee took a draw off the pipe. Kili felt the wood warm under his fingertips, and he pulled the pipe away. He watched her face as it seemed to light up from within. Rylee stood before him, tilted her head up and released her breath. Smoke should have curled up, but instead of a curl of grey, there was a bright flare of red flame.

"Mahal's forge! Rylee spits fire like a dragon," Dori said in almost fearful awe.

Rylee held up her hand as she breathed out completely and still the flame continued. Bofur guffawed happily, "I love ya, lass, I truly do, but perhaps it's best you not smoke a pipe."

"Does it ever end?" Nori asked in awe as the flame continued to leave Rylee's mouth. The drizzling rain did absolutely nothing to cool it or make it go out.

Taking a deep breath of fresh air, she breathed out more fire for a full minute before the flames finally came to an end. Fili handed her a canteen of water and Rylee chugged it gratefully. At last she handed it back to Fili and looked at Bofur, "That is why I don't cook, or smoke."

"Can't you control it?" Bilbo asked with a worried expression on his face.

"That was controlled, Bilbo, the first time I ever tried a pipe, it was a disaster." Rylee smiled softly and moved to sit back down beside Kili, he of course pulled her into his lap, "The first time I was with Durin, he offered me a draw on his pipe, I wasn't really certain that it was a good idea, but he was really insistent. Luckily we were outside, because the moment I took a draw, the pipe turned to ash in my hand, and I lit up like dry tinder struck by a spark."

"How's your pipe, Kili? Did she over heat it?" Fili asked his brother, it would be a shame for him to lose it, considering it was one of their father's pipes.

"It did get a little warm, but it still works just fine," Kili smiled taking another draw.

"Just in time," Bombur told them just as the fire gutted out once again. The wood was just too wet to stay lit without Rylee being constantly beside it. "Food is served."

Bombur handed Rylee a bowl, full to the brim and two spoons. Rylee looked up at him and smirked, "So we have graduated to actually sharing the bowl, eh?"

"Figured it was time you two lovebirds shared your meal properly." Bombur grinned.

"There's just one problem, Bombur," Kili said picking up his spoon, he put it to Rylee's lips. She looked at it and then up at him, and he waited until she took the bite, "You brought one too many spoons."

"Pshaw! He did not," Rylee grabbed her spoon before it could be taken away, "If you get to feed me like a child then I get to feed you like one too."

She brought her spoon to Kili's lips, and quirked her brow, challenging him not to take it. They both knew full well that if he did, he would be teased for being a child, and if he didn't he would be teased for being chicken.

"What's the problem lad, you chicken?" Dwalin challenged. Kili smirked and Rylee grinned, her grey eyes sparkling in the drizzling rain. Kili took the bite and was rewarded with the ribbing he expected.

Rylee looked up at Kili and noticed that he had a splatter of gravy on his bottom lip, she met his eyes and bit her lip, not sure if she should do what she wanted. Thorin was sitting just a few seats away. Kili was about to raise her spoon to give her another bite when she stopped him, "Hold on Kili, seems I missed some."

She leaned towards him and licked his bottom lip. Kili's heart nearly stopped, that was the sexiest thing she had done since she called herself naughty in the field. She was definitely acting it now. He growled lowly when she pulled away. How she did it, he didn't know, but with one singular act she made him want to pick her up and find a quiet place where he could ravage her. He watched her pull her tongue into her mouth and swallow, he lifted the spoon to her lips again and she took her bite. Before he could retaliate her tongue swept out and she licked away every drop of the thick gravy from her lips. The sight of her tongue on her lips was driving him to distraction.

Somehow the rest of the company went silent and it was just the two of them, until Bofur asked Rylee, "So, Rylee, how does Kili taste?"

"Varda's honeycakes, Nienna's Cram, and Yavanna's Lembas all rolled into one," Rylee whispered softly, meeting Kili's eyes. Those were her favorite treats and Rylee loved them almost as much as kissing Kili.

"I thought we were having stew," Nori quipped in return.

Gloin chuckled, "Apparently Rylee is having a feast."

"I want those recipes if Rylee is comparing them to kissing," Bombur said as they all watched the couple. Rylee and Kili were obviously lost in their own little world.

Rylee lifted her spoon back up for Kili to take a bite, watching him intently as he ate. She turned more to face him, keeping the bowl between them, as they each took turns feeding each other. If anything, Kili got even hungrier, less for food and more for her, but Thorin had them under watch. They both kept it up, feeding each other until the bowl was empty, or at least until Rylee refused to eat another bite and Kili was left with the rest. He didn't complain. She fed him the last spoonful and set the bowl aside. As soon as the bowl was out of her hands he swept her off of her feet.

They had a routine now, they both needed to use the latrine and then they would wash up before climbing into bed. He carried her in the general direction of the latrines, but as soon as they were out of sight from the camp Kili turned to go deeper into the forest.

"Where are we going Kili?" Rylee asked, her voice was hoarse from the fire.

"Anywhere we won't be seen," Kili whispered, sending shivers up and down Rylee's spine. "You should not have teased me like that Rylee, now all I can think about is kissing you."

"So kiss me, Kili," Rylee whispered in return. She threaded her hands into his hair and pulled his lips to hers.

Kili growled and lowered her legs, only to back her into a tree. He delved into her mouth seeking her tongue, mating it with his own, circling, dancing and teasing. He broke away from her to drop kisses along her jaw as he made his way to her earlobe, he nibbled lightly and reveled in the gasp of surprise as he pulled it into his mouth. He had one hand on her ribs, just below her breasts and the other was roaming her neck and throat. Rylee's weapons were back at camp, and the moment Kili realized that her whip was not wrapped around her waist he started pulling at the buttons on her jacket, only to come upon her heavy leather tunic.

"You wear too many layers," He growled at her, lifting his lips from hers, she was breathing hard, her soft lips were pink from their kiss. He pushed her jacket open and slid his hands up under her tunics seeking her warm skin underneath the layers.

"So do you," Rylee whispered softly looking up at him. She started pulling at the ties on his tunic as though in desperation. His eyes were dark with some sort of hunger and all she wanted was to allow him to devour her, but the company was so close by.

He picked her up and lifted her legs to wrap around his hips. They moaned in unison at the tight feeling of pressure against their clothing. Kili snapped his hips, pressing harder against her. Her eyes opened wide in shock, the sparks within flaring brightly. Her fingers were under the neckline of his tunic, gripping his shoulders, he could feel the flex and the sudden bite of her nails as she reacted to him. He repeated the movement just to watch her. This time a small moan escaped as the white light flared in her eyes.

"Do you feel it Rylee? Do you feel how much I want you?" Kili whispered grinding himself against her, as he pressed her tighter against the tree. Brushing his mouth against her ear, she began to shiver in his arms with every word he spoke and pulled him tighter against her. "I want to devour you, fill you, bury myself within you for days."

"Kili, please." She was begging him to ease the need he created in her. She was clutching his shoulders, her legs wrapped tightly around his hips, her feet hooked behind him. Her need for him was so great that she could barely think. The heady warmth that filled her threatened to light her on fire.

He finally loosened her clothing enough to glide his hands up her torso. She gasped as he grazed her ticklish spot near her ribs, and moaned his name as his left hand wrapped around her back, pulling her tighter against him. His right found her lush breast and she immediately bucked against him at the intimate contact, moaning quietly. "Mahal, you are unbelievable."

"Stop saying Mahal," Rylee admonished him, pulling his lips back to hers, persistent in her actions. She bit, licked, and nipped at his lips until he allowed her to deepen the kiss. Her tongue danced with his, almost in a battle of defiance, thrusting and swirling and parrying against each other for dominance. Rylee clutched him against her, unwilling to let him go, she needed something from him. When she broke the kiss, she gasped, "Kili, I need you."

"And I you, but when I take you, there will be no need for these layers, or armor. We will not be in a forest, in the rain, against a tree. We will be in a safe private place, and in a bed." Kili sighed with frustration, reluctantly pulling his hands from her clothes. Holding her against him, was the only thing he could allow for now, since Fili or Thorin would come looking for them. Just because they were starting a courting ritual didn't mean he could take what he wanted to. He still had to ask her to accept his courting braid. He was sure she would, but he wanted to time it just right, and so far there just didn't seem to be a good time. He wanted it to be special. "We can't be gone too long."

"I know. We should get back, it is getting pretty dark." Rylee sighed sadly. She unhooked her feet and lowered her legs. She straightened and adjusted her clothes, and refastened her jacket, as Kili adjusted his.

They did their business, cleaned up at the nearby creek that ran just south of their camp and then they returned. Kili piggy backed her the entire way. Fili was already under the covers of their bed, his eyes were closed but it was obvious that he was not sleeping yet. Kili lifted the covers and Rylee set herself down and crawled in beside Fili, placing her back to his. Then Kili settled himself next to her, as close as he could get without disturbing his brother. Rylee curled into him, her head was under his chin, her hands on his chest, and her one leg over his.

"I swear if either of you starts anything, I will dump a bucket of water on you," Fili's threat was ringed with amusement, but Kili knew that there was truth in that threat. He had done it before. He would do it again. Rylee had never asked about his past, she seemed to have no interest. He wondered why.

Kili looked down at Rylee curled against him and heard her even breaths, "I don't think you need to worry Fili, she is already asleep."

"You tire her out already?" Fili teased, he turned back to look at Rylee, his blue eyes glinting in the fading light, "You weren't gone that long."

"This time it was little more than a kiss," Kili whispered and smiled, wrapping his arms around his love, "just a sweet, sweet kiss."


	17. It's a Bugs Life

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Chapter 17

It's a Bug's Life

May 27 - 28

It was still raining when they woke and the rain did not let up until late afternoon. Everyone was glum due to the shortage of food. The deer, turkeys, and rabbits would be gone by dinner and they would need to hunt again the following evening if they were to eat at all, especially when Mikhaul's vegetable and apple bag was emptied the night before. Almost everyone in the Company had some gripe or another.

The only people not unhappy were Fili and Kili. Fili was happy because he woke up toasty warm against the little furnace that was Rylee. It had been days since he had been so warm during his sleep, the fact that she was made of fire definitely helped. Kili was happy because he woke up easing her out of one of her night terrors he hated that she woke in fear and it made him feel content that he could help comfort her. Once Rylee had the okay from Oin, she and Mikhaul took off ahead to find a place to bathe, promising to be back before nightfall. She was finally able to have her independence back, and she told Thorin that she intended to take full advantage of it.

Regardless of the rain they covered a great deal of distance that day. By Balin's calculations they could make the high mountain pass within the week, if they could keep this pace. They stopped only for a short lunch, more to stretch their legs and to water and feed the ponies, than for any necessity. Once they were back on the road Thorin kept the company moving until the sun began to settle into the horizon before he began to look for places to camp for the night. They finally came across the remains of an old farmer's cabin just as the rain subsided. "We will camp here for the night."

"Fili, Kili look after the ponies make sure you stay with them. Oin, Gloin get a fire going." Thorin ordered as he followed after Gandalf into the remains of the farm house. Fili dismounted his pony to start doing what their uncle asked.

Kili looked around, hoping that Rylee would return soon, that she would be able to find their trail. Even though she said nothing to Thorin, Kili hoped that she was not out hunting. When she did hunt, he could not help but worry about her. He fingered the cuff on his wrist, once again marveling at the workmanship and detail. Since she gave it to him, she was allowing him more time, and more intimacy. Her feet were healing nicely and Kili was almost sad that they were. He was rather enjoying carrying her around camp. Sometime packing her on his back and other times sweeping her up in his arms. Regardless he enjoyed the closeness it gave them. They sat together for hours the night before, relaxing in the warmth of her thick Werewolf cloak, and telling each other stories of their childhood.

Thorin looked around the farmyard at the debris that littered it. It looked quite overgrown, as though it had been a full season since the land had been worked. The house itself was little more than a shell. There was evidence of having been dismantled and torn apart, but at least it was shelter. The Company was weary, after several long dreary days on the trail all any of them really wanted was food and rest. They were finally in a place where they could dry out their belongings and find a decent night's rest.

"A farmer and his family used to live here," Gandalf said more to himself than to Thorin.

Why someone would farm way out here, Thorin could not fathom, the ground was overly rocky and would not be good for crops. There was once an area where a small family garden once grew, he could see the overgrown onions flowering on the edges, and a few potato plants. He would tell Bombur about them later. Looking around, he amended his first thought, it could be prosperous, depending on the type of farm. Perhaps it was a good place to raise sheep.

"I think it would be wiser, to move on," Gandalf told Thorin with an oddly disturbed look on his face, "We could make for the Hidden Valley."

Thorin ignored the odd look. At the mention of the Elves, Thorin's hackles began to rise. "I have told you already, I will not go near that place."

"Why not? The elves could help us. We could get food, rest, advice." Gandalf said trying to plead with the Dwarf Leader.

"I don't need their advice." Thorin growled back.

"We have a map that we cannot read, Lord Elrond could help us." Gandalf said, trying to talk sense to the stubborn dwarf.

"When a dragon attacked Erebor, what help came from the elves?" Thorin asked glaring up at the grey wizard. Old hurts lingered inside when he thought of the betrayal of the supposedly wise beings. How could they just turn their back on an entire people like that? What did the dwarves do to deserve such betrayal? "Orcs plunder Moria, plunder our sacred halls, the elves looked on and did nothing. You expect me to seek out the people who betrayed my grandfather, who betrayed my father."

"But you are neither of them," Gandalf told him sagely, "I did not give you that map and key for you to hold on to the past."

"I didn't know they were yours to keep," Thorin said, the idea of someone trying to keep him from his birthright, from his homeland, it tore him apart on the inside.

"Then what of Rylee?" Gandalf tried one last time.

"What of her?" Thorin huffed, shooting a glare at Gandalf. The Wizard would try anything to get his way.

"She needs to contact Saruman. Lord Elrond can do that for her, he may also be able to give her news of her friends," Gandalf reminded him once again. The girl needed her memories back, she needed answers that neither he nor Thorin could provide to her. She needed happy news for once, so that she could finally let go of the past.

"There will be others out there who can give her what she needs," Thorin shook his head adamantly. "It need not come from the Elves. Surely you can contact Saruman on your own."

Gandalf sighed in frustration and walked away, leaving Thorin in the shambles of the farmhouse staring after him. There were times that Thorin wished he could just let it go, but he clearly remembered how it felt to watch the elves turn away in a time of their greatest need. Then when the survivors traveled to the Woodland Realm seeking refuge, they were turned away like vagabonds or vagrants, no boon of friendship or assistance was offered in any way. They were left to starve in the wild. He could not ask help of the elves, not after what they did. Though guilt did eat at him for Rylee's sake, the answers she needed might only be able to come from the Elves. Thorin growled in discontent, he would think on it.

"Is everything alright?" Bilbo asked his voice filled with great concern. Gandalf and Thorin were in the midst of another argument. Like usual it was probably about seeking the help of the Elves. Thorin was very sore about the way the Elves shunned the line of Durin. He would never willingly seek their help, no matter how much Gandalf tried to reason with him. Sure enough Gandalf began to stalk off. "Gandalf? Where are you going?"

"To seek the company of the only one around here who makes sense." Gandalf muttered more to himself than anyone else. Kili looked up from where he still sat on his horse, happily polishing his cuff, as he watched the exchange.

"And who might that be?" Bilbo asked confused. Was he going to find Rylee?

"Myself!" Gandalf growled angrily, "I have had enough of Dwarves for one day. The only one with reason has taken leave for a bath!"

Kili went perfectly still at that last statement. Rylee went ahead to have a bath? That instantly led to images of Rylee naked in a river, and that led somewhere else entirely. He looked at Thorin in frustration. His uncle told him she went to scout ahead, not take a bath! Why did Thorin feel he needed to lie to him? He knew that Rylee could take care of herself. He just worried about her, and it would be nice if he knew what she was actually doing.

"She is fine, Kili," Fili looked at him, seeing that his brother was about to go confront their very angry uncle. It would not bode well for Kili if he did that. "She is safer alone than in the company of others. She will be harder to track. Besides, who in their right mind would attack the Daughter of Mahal? She has been going off hunting, or burning, almost daily for the past five weeks, without injury."

"I trust her. I just worry, is all, I cannot help it. I just wish Uncle wouldn't lie to me about where she went off to," Kili replied as he slid off his pony. He took her to the where Fili was starting to gather them together, tethering them to the fences that were still standing and removing the packs for the night. He and Fili worked together as they curried the horses to keep them from getting saddle sores, and set them where they could graze in safety.

He could smell the meal that Bombur was cooking and he knew that it would be ready for them soon. It was odd that Rylee was not back, the sun would be down before too long. He looked at Fili and asked, "It will be dark soon. Do you think she is lost?"

"Worry not brother, I think she and that horse of hers are more than capable of finding our ragtag group of Dwarves. They do it every day, besides we make enough noise." Fili assured him with a grin.

"Aye, that we do, don't we?" Kili laughed slapping his brother on the shoulder. "Do you think she would accept my braid, if I asked her?"

"I am surprised you have not already asked her, you spend almost every moment of camp time with her. Why didn't you last night? You have her token, so you know she is interested," Fili asked in return. Kili was usually cock-sure and reckless. He was often quite forward and brash with the ladies, with Rylee he seemed to be more hesitant. It was almost like the girl scared him. Fili shook that thought away. Kili would never be scared of a mere slip of a girl.

"She is so different, and worldly, and strong, and defiant. She is wild and unruly. She is so completely independent. Not to mention magical. How does one protect and shelter a dwarrowdam that refuses to be held back from danger? One who can fend off a dragon?" Kili told him, his description of the little queen was perfectly accurate. He wondered when Kili became so astute.

"You follow the advice of a War Maiden. What is it that Grandmother Nisi always says to Thorin?" Fili asked looking at Kili for the answer.

"Grandmother says and I quote, 'I am a War Maiden, not a housewife. Keep me at your side or at your back, whilst in battle, but never behind you or beneath you. I am your equal, not a possession.'" Kili quoted to him from memory. The number of times they heard that growing up in the house with their Grandmother, they both knew it off by heart. Fili could imagine Rylee saying the exact same thing. "It does fit Rylee, but there is a whole other side to her. She is mischievous and amusing, and also soft, sweet, beguiling, and innocent."

Then Kili spoke so softly that Fili almost didn't hear him at all, "She terrifies me."

"Help me take this pile of bags to the trail so they are out of the way." Fili said indicating the pile of supplies yet to be picked up by the others in their company. He ignored Kili's quiet statement for the moment, considering the dwarrowdam in question was just as scared as his little brother, the pair would have to figure it out on their own. "Then we can get the ponies together so they are easier to count."

"Well you are no help at all," Kili grumbled as he picked up a couple of the heavy satchels and moved them into a place beside the trail where they could be easily found before going back for more. By the time they were done and ready to count, the sun was already below the horizon. "Fourteen."

"What?" Fili asked coming up beside him.

"I count fourteen." Kili repeated, looking around for the two missing ponies.

"That can't be right," Fili said looking at his brother in dismay, and then did a count of his own, "Fourteen."

"I told you that already." Kili replied looking at the ponies. He was completely perplexed, they were tethered. There was no way they could have just wandered off. They had to be around somewhere. Fili was scouting the far side of the paddock and Kili joined him, looking for any sign of where the ponies could have gone.

"What's the matter?" Bilbo came up with a couple bowls of soup. He was not used to seeing the brothers in such a situation, they were usually creating mischief, not at the receiving end of it, and for the two usually high spirited Dwarves, they were suddenly very unhappy.

"We're supposed to be looking after the ponies," Kili said looking over the area where the ponies were grazing. He was feeling more than a little perplexed.

"Only we have encountered a slight problem," Fili continued turning to look at the Hobbit and his brother. Thorin was going to kill them if they could not find those ponies.

"We had sixteen," Kili said as once again he did a count in his head of the small horses, trying to figure out which ponies were missing.

"Now there's fourteen," Fili finished his sentence. They would have no pack horses at all, and would have to spread the gear around to the other ponies, making them even slower. Thorin was already counting the days, trying to push them closer and closer to the Lonely Mountain as quickly as possible. Their days would be even longer. Fili was not looking forward to that.

"Daisy and Bungo are missing" Kili said as he walked through the camp counting yet again, but to no avail. The two ponies were still missing.

"Well that is not good," Bilbo said following after him, still carrying the bowls of food in his hands. He looked up to see where the Dwarf Princes were going, and saw the two large uprooted trees. This unfortunate turn of events was only getting worse. "And that is not good at all, shouldn't we tell Thorin?

"Uh, No, Let's not worry him," Fili said shaking his head looking at the trees trying to figure what exactly might have uprooted them. Whatever it was, it was big. He tried to ease the tension a little bit and teased Bilbo, "As our official burglar we thought you might like to look into it."

"Well, it looks like something big uprooted these trees," Bilbo stuttered, really not quite sure what he was supposed to do about it. He really didn't know much about the dangers of the road other than what he read in books. He definitely didn't know how to escape or defend himself from the dangers. He really didn't know what possible help he could be. He just wanted the pair to take their soup and let him return to the fire.

"That was our thinking." Kili said thinking that it was kind of obvious. Still a sense of foreboding fell on him, if the pampered Hobbit could figure that out, then it was not a good sign, and Fili's teasing was not helping the situation at all.

"Something very big and possibly quite dangerous," the Hobbit continued, as he looked at the massive amount of damage done to the trees. They were lucky that whatever took the ponies didn't crush or injure one of the others nearby. Fili turned away, and hunched taking a better look off to his left. A bright orange glow caught his eye.

"Look there, I see a light!" He motioned for Kili to go with him and went forward for a better look, "Over here, stay down."

They moved through the trees vying for a better look, they were crouched low behind some fallen trees. Bilbo followed, still holding the bowls of soup. He looked through the forest, but from his vantage point he could only see large shadows and the whisper of voices, "What is it?"

"Trolls," Kili said, as he listened to what was ahead, he would stake his life on it. He jumped over the log and dashed forward trying to get a better look at what they were dealing with. How many, how big, how many horses they had. He followed Fili through the bush towards the troll camp.

Bilbo trailed behind them. One of the vile creatures went past them, carrying two more of the ponies in his arms. The poor beasts were thrashing around in the troll's arms, trying to get free, getting slapped and flogged by the bushes as they went by.

Bilbo took a spot hiding behind a large tree stump, his Halfling body easily hidden from view. "He's got Myrtle and Minty! I think they're going to eat them, we have to do something."

"Yes you should," Kili whispered in agreement, taking a bowl of soup from the hobbit. All the while Bilbo protested, but Kili continued, not listening to him, "Mountain trolls are slow and stupid, and you are so small they will never see you. It's perfectly safe, we'll be right behind you!"

"If you run into trouble hoot twice like a barn owl and once like a brown owl," Fili said taking the other bowl from Bilbo's hands and pushing him forward towards the Troll fire. Fili looked at Kili and both ran back to their camp looking for Thorin and the others, eating their soup on the way. They needed weapons, and they needed the others, otherwise they would have a very dead Hobbit.

"Suddenly I am glad Rylee is not here," Kili said as they ran, "she has already contended with a drake, a werewolf, Orcs and Wargs, at least she isn't dealing with trolls."

"I would prefer if she was," Fili argued as they approached camp, "She has fought them in the past."

"Good point," Kili sighed in agreement, if there was anyone who could fight trolls and survive, it would be Rylee.

* * *

"Rylee," a soft voice whispered into her mind, "Wake up."

"Mikhaul?" Rylee asked quietly, as something nudged not so gently into her shoulder. She sat up and looked around. She was still at her camp. When she left Thorin that morning for a bath and some solitude she had not expected to run into a trio of Wargs with their matching set of Orcs. It was a hard fought and hard won battle that took the better part of an hour, and by the time she was finished with them, she was covered head to toe in blood. If she didn't need a bath before she definitely did after that.

They found the perfect spot, a natural hot spring, and set up camp. Rylee stripped, bathed, and washed her bloodied clothes and set everything out to dry. Then she did a burn, she wasn't creating anything, she just needed to feel herself be consumed by the flame. All alone it was an uplifting spiritual ritual, one in which she could reflect on her past, her present, and her future.

By the time she was done with the fire, she was exhausted. Yet she still climbed back into the hot pool, and let the naturally hot water soak away the tension in her muscles. It was an odd thing, being made of fire. She was never truly affected by the changes in temperature, and yet she could revel in the differences of the sensation of her skin. Being in the cold wet rain for several days on end made her feel very grateful for the steaming water of the hot pool. When she was done she crawled from the pool, dressed, and curled up in the grass by Mikhaul and fell into a deep sleep.

This was how they ended up racing through the forests, hills, and fields in the dead of night, trying to get back to the Company. While Mikhaul ran, Rylee thought about her meditation in the flames. It was probably the most pleasant fire cleanse that she had ever done, and it was simply a reflection of the good things and happy moments over her past quests. Meeting Fleet Took, and then Jovina were moments of blessings, meeting two of her closest friends. Then there was the night she met Galadriel, just the memory of their first meeting made her laugh. Why Galadriel liked Rylee so much Rylee would never know. It seemed that more often than not, whenever Rylee was near, Galadriel would wind up in some unlikely mess. Not that it was Rylee's fault. It just seemed that she was always there to see them.

Rylee could recall the many times the poor elleth ended up covered in something vile, only to laugh it off with such mirth and grace. There were even times that she got mouthfuls of whatever it was she landed in. Twice Galadriel ended up with mud in her mouth, some sort of cellar sludge, even horse chip residue once. Rylee winced, after everything that happened, Rylee wondered why Galadriel even sought her out.

"Do you remember Galadriel, Mikhaul?" Rylee asked her oldest and dearest friend.

"Of course, it is hard to forget the one person who always saw you for who you really were. Everyone else needed to be convinced, but she never did," Mikhaul nickered, as she ran. "She is the only Elf I know who calls you Rylee. Everyone else calls you Emitheral or Rúnyatári."

"That's just who she is. It didn't hurt that Lúthien told her all about how I helped her and Huan save Beren, even if I looked like a child at the time." Rylee said softly in reflection. "It's too bad that Lúthien was so far away when I was there to kill Glaurung, I would have loved to see her again."

"You told me that you and she had several mishaps on your way to rescue Beren," Mikhaul reminded her.

"Aye, she and I got off to a rocky start, but then she had been through a lot, and wasn't really interested in trusting strangers." Rylee sighed as she thought back to the time she spent on the road with Lúthien and Huan. "We did end up getting along really well though. It was just that first night."

"It seems to me, Rylee, that all of your first impressions are rather interesting," Mikhaul teased her softly. "From rescuing Dwarf maids from Werewolves, and tripping Doriath guards, you never did tell me how you and Galadriel met."

"And I won't be telling you that story, I was sworn to silence," Rylee admonished the great mare. After several minutes of silence she asked with a yawn. "Do you think we were missed Mikhaul?"

"You know Kili missed you, Fili too. He has become like family to you." Mikhaul suggested softly into her mind, "Thorin of course watches out for you. He loves you, even though he hides it from the others."

"I don't know about that. Thorin was my mentor, Eru told him not to get attached. The way he goes off about magic, it's a bit overbearing, at least he no longer argues with me about hunting," Rylee smiled at the thought. "Someday he may even forgive me for, you know, everything."

"He is also your guardian, and you know as well as I do, that Thorin broke Eru's rule more often than he followed it. He has been letting you go to burn Rylee, on a daily basis. I think it will just take him some getting used to your magic. Regardless, the rest of the company has become our friends, even that crusty Gloin. And Dori dotes on you almost as much as he does his brothers. Ori would write sonnets about you in that journal of his if you let him. Nori steals from everyone in camp except for you and Thorin, he respects you that much. Bombur adores you, he would adopt you just because you love his cooking," The rest of the company flashed through her mind as Mikhaul reminded her that they were all becoming her friends. "They will all worry, sunset has long passed, and we were supposed to return hours ago. I can't believe we fell asleep at that pool."

Rylee agreed. "I can't believe we fell asleep either, but swimming and bathing was worth it. I feel so much better than I did before, not quite so mangy."

"Right, because you looked like a rat took up nest in your hair and you smelled like a pigsty." Mikhaul teased her. Rylee never got quite that bad, she just preferred to be clean.

"Yeah, it was nice to be able to clean my hair. At least it doesn't feel quite as itchy as it was. I swear it grows out too fast." Rylee chuckled softly, "But you know as well as I do that it is not the smell that bothers me. It is that feeling of grittiness, oiliness, like things are sticking where they should not. That is what I mean by mange."

Rylee stayed low on Mikhaul's back as the great mare made her way through the forest as quickly as she could without stumbling over the uneven ground. They were in the foothills of the mountains and the terrain was much more rolling and uneven than it was in the previous weeks, making passage more and more difficult, especially in the darkness of the midnight sky. Mikhaul was racing through the darkness to get back to camp, once they were back on the main road they were able to go much faster. Even then it was nearing dawn before they came upon the glow of the camp fire inside the remains of an old farm house.

"Do you feel that? Why would they choose to camp here?" The house looked ravaged by monsters. It smelled of something darkly familiar to Rylee, her stomach clenched at the memory of it. The camp was empty other than bed rolls and only twelve of the ponies. The cooking fire was burning really low. "Something is wrong Mikhaul. They would never desert camp like this."

"Feel it! Can you not smell it? 'Tis downright rank! You are right Rylee, let us look for them." Mikhaul agreed, nickering softly nodding her great head.

"I smell it, Mikhaul, it smells horribly familiar, I do not like this one bit," Rylee couldn't help but shiver at the intensity of the darkness surrounding them but shook it off. "Okay let's look for them."

Rylee got off so it would be easier to search the woods, she looked over where the farmer's well once was and saw the fallen trees, then she saw several more. She followed them deeper and deeper into the forest. Suddenly the four missing ponies burst through the underbrush and ran towards Mikhaul, seeing the great steed they slowed and calmed. "What is it Mikhaul, what is going on?"

"Trolls. They got caught by trolls. Three of them. They call themselves, Tom, Burt and William. Daisy and Bungo were caught first and then Myrtle and Minty. Bilbo went to rescue them, but got caught. Then the Company went to rescue him and they are now caught too. What a bit of bad luck the Company is in without us." Mikhaul told her what the ponies saw.

"Damn it, I knew it smelled familiar. Well dawn is not far off, maybe we can rescue them. Can you show me who is who? There is power in knowing names," Rylee looked through the forest towards where the ponies came from. Mikhaul showed her the images the horses gave her along with the names of the ugly beasts. She went to go down the trail, when Mikhaul stopped her, worried about Rylee being caught and cooked by the hungry trolls. "I am going in, Mikhaul, I can't just leave them. I promise I will stay out of view until I can come up with a plan."

"Fine, but be quick, I will wait here until you come back," Mikhaul whickered softly. Rylee nodded and moved forward. She crept as silently as she could getting closer and closer to the bright fire. All of her hunting lessons with Oromë came swiftly back to her and she was able to creep quickly and quietly around the troll camp.

"Wait!" Bilbo cried out, struggling to get to his feet from within his sack, "You are making a terrible mistake."

"You can't reason with them, they're halfwits!" Dori yelled at Bilbo, trying to make him understand that they were doomed. 'Oh Dori,' Rylee thought, 'Ever the pessimist.' She smirked and looked around the Troll camp. This was just their kitchen. The trolls would have a hoard close by, a place where they could hide in daylight. The big cook was Bert, according to the ponies. The skinny high pitched troll with the vest was William, and the third chubby troll who took them was Tom.

"Halfwits?" Bofur countered in frustration, "What does that make us?"

Bilbo was finally standing in his sack trying to stall for time. What a brilliant hobbit, knowing that they would turn to stone in sunlight was something that few would know. Having fought mountain trolls in the past, Rylee was well aware of the fact. She looked at the several dwarves on the spit. Dwarves handled both heat and cold better than any other of Ilúvatar's children. She could tell they were overheating, but not anywhere near being cooked. That was good, they had a few minutes before damage would be done, not a lot of time, but it was time in their favor. They must have just gotten caught not too long before.

"Shut up, and let the, uh, flurgaburburrahobbit talk," Said Bert, trying to shush his companions.

"Uh, th – the secret to cooking dwarf is, um" Bilbo was stalling and Rylee was taking in the scene formulating a plan. The rest of her friends were tied up in sacks with only their heads sticking out of the top holes. Kili was amongst them as well as Fili and Thorin.

"Yes? Come on." Bert said trying to speed up the information about cooking Dwarves.

"It's, uh" Bilbo started. Their weapons were in a pile, it seemed to Rylee that the Trolls were able to find every single one of Fili's knives, and he was not looking overly happy about it. He was lying on his stomach, struggling to get loose.

Bert cut him off and Bilbo used it to his advantage to stall some more. "Tell us the secret."

"Ye - yes," Bilbo said trying to placate the massive beast. "I'm telling you, the secret is … to skin them first!"

Kili was beside Oin and near Thorin, Bombur and Gloin were with them, with Fili at their feet. The entire Company was shouting at Bilbo, and Rylee wasn't sure if their protests were helping or hurting the Hobbit's attempts to stall for time. Looking around the Troll camp, Rylee came up with a plan, but she would need help.

Rylee snuck back to Mikhaul, "Can you and the others create a diversion, run through as quick as you can, knocking things over? I will try to pull one of the trolls off his feet while you and the others keep the trolls stunned. Just try to keep from harming the lads. Right?"

Mikhaul nickered at the ponies and then sent Rylee a thought of them being frightened. "The ponies are spooked. They do not want to go back in there."

"Not even to get back at those nasty Trolls? Think of what fun they can have if they stampede through." Rylee suggested softly. "They won't get caught, I would never allow it. We just need to create chaos for a few minutes, and only on my signal."

Another few knickers and whinnies had the ponies convinced. Ryle headed back to the Troll camp and looked around and spied a couple of huge trees that would give her great advantage if she could climb high enough. She jumped to the lowest branch and began to climb, even if she could get above the smallest troll and take him out it would cause enough of a distraction until the sun rose above the rocks. She had to go slow, to make sure that the branches didn't rustle or shake too much as she got into position. William picked up Bombur ready to drop him head first down his throat when Bilbo stopped him.

"Not, not that one! He's infected." Bilbo said, Rylee had to stop the laugh that threatened, he was a bloody genius!

"He what?" Tom asked, looking at the little Hobbit in horror. Rylee was almost in position, one more branch. Her heart was pounding, sweat prickled and beaded on her skin and she could feel her lungs constricting. She needed to stay calm! The only problem was that she was on a height thrice as tall as Mikhaul's back and the angle to the ground was giving her vertigo. She breathed steadily, trying not to let the distance to the ground phase her, looking instead at the Trolls heads. She pretended that she was not holding on to a tree, that she was safe and secure on a low balcony. Perfectly safe.

"Yeah, he's got worms, in his, um, tubes." Rylee watched Bilbo with fascination, she could see him trying to think up something as quickly as he could that would stop the trolls from eating their friends. She met his eyes over the head of Bert as she quietly clicked the trigger on her whip. Bilbo's eyes widened with fear and worry. 'Keep going', Rylee mouthed as she controlled the end of the whip as it unraveled in order to keep it as silent as possible. William dropped Bombur back into the pile, making him land directly on Kili. She heard him grunt in pain at the sudden impact and could see him lying there in a sack with the others. "Yes, in fact they all have them. They are infested with parasites. It's a terrible business, I wouldn't risk it. I really wouldn't."

"Parasites? Did he say parasites?" Oin asked looking at Kili for confirmation.

"We don't have parasites! You have parasites," Kili cried in protest, obviously not catching on to what Bilbo was trying to accomplish. Bilbo sighed as the entire Company started crying out in denial. If it was not so dangerous, Rylee would have laughed. So far Bilbo was the only one to see her in the tree, and she wanted to keep it that way for as long as possible. Thorin saw Bilbo's sigh and she watched as the realization hit him. He kicked Kili making him instantly quiet his protests.

Suddenly the protests changed. Oin cried out at the Trolls, "I've got parasites as big as my arm!"

"Mine are the biggest parasites!" Kili yelled out in agreement, "I have huge parasites."

"What would you have us do then? Let 'em all go?" Tom asked Bilbo, at his contemplative look Rylee knew that the jig was up, she just needed a distraction. She whistled loud and sharp, the trolls turned in surprise, looking for the source of the noise.

"That is a brilliant idea!" Rylee called from her spot up in the three. "Tom, Bert and William, Trolls most vile and foul. I would suggest you let them go."

"And who… are you?" Bert looked up at her, a greedy look in his good eye.

"How's she know our names?" William cried.

"I am Wolfsong, Firebrand and Dragon's Bane," Rylee said as she lit her whip on fire, her voice filled with power. "I am the Blood Queen and I command you to let my friends go."

"The Blood Queen is a myth!" Bert scoffed at her. William and Tom, however cowered back in fear. To prove his point Bert reached for her, and Rylee flicked the fiery whip, a scorching burn slashed across his face. He screamed in pain and turned away covering his face.

"Death shall come to you by flame and stone!" Rylee yelled at them. There was a pounding sound coming from the direction of the farmer's house, and a rumbling could be felt in the ground. Thorin could feel something coming.

"What is that sound!" William screeched in alarm and the thundering approached. Whatever it was, it was coming quickly.

"Stampede!" Kili yelled as the ponies began to thunder all around them, knocking over a keg, and tripping the Troll on the far side of the fire. The dwarves on the ground did their best to move away from the racing ponies, keeping their feet and legs away from the sharp hooves of the beasts. The horses began to purposely push the stakes that were holding up the spit.

"The dawn will take you all!" Gandalf said as he came over the stone. The spit began to lean precariously. The Dwarves started to wiggle more and more to help it drop.

"Who's that?" Bert asked. Mikhaul kicked him in the bottom, pushing him toward the fire. He screamed as his foot collided with the hot coals, his knees knocking the spit even closer to the ground.

"I have no Idea." Tom answered as he looked around at the mass confusion. Bert stepped back out of danger from the ponies, closer and closer to Rylee's tree, she just needed him a little closer.

"Can we eat him too?" William asked. One of the ponies bumped Bert sending him back. Perfect!

"Over my dead body!" Rylee yelled in anger, her whip flashed out wrapping around Bert's neck. He screeched as the fire on the whip burned into the muscles of his shoulders, back and neck. She flicked the blade and jumped from the tree using her body weight to haul the troll onto his arse. There was a slick flicking sound as she pulled her arm and blades sliced deep into the troll's neck. Another flick pulled the whip away so she could spin back at the monster if he came after her. He screamed and lurched forward, his blackish blood gushing down his thick skinned chest. At the same time there was a massive crack and the stone Gandalf stood on fractured in half splitting down the middle, one side falling away. The sun shone brightly through the broken pieces, hitting the trolls and turning them all to stone. Rylee closed her eyes against the flaking of flesh and the dust of stone.

When she opened her eyes she was nose to nose with the stone troll, his hand was only mere inches from grabbing her. She sighed in relief. That was much too close for comfort. She looked at the whip wound on the Troll, if she had just a little more leverage she would have taken his head. Rylee looked at her whip and sighed in disgust, she would need to soak it to get the blood and gore out of it. She curled it up, careful not to get any of the blood on her clean clothes then propped it on the ground against some rocks. She just bathed. The last thing she wanted was to get all dirty again. The dwarves on the spit called for her to help them, all but Dwalin, who realized that if she neared the fire she would only make their situation worse, not better. "She can't you fools, the flames will rise!"

Ignoring them, she grabbed one of her throwing knives from her ankle and walked over to the Dwarves in the bags on the ground. While Gandalf took care of Bilbo and Fili, she sliced through Bombur's and Oin's bags first and they went to help the others off of the spit. Finally she got to Kili, he looked at her with something akin to amazement. "You nearly took his head clean off!"

"Yes, that would have been the point." Rylee said as she placed her knife at the knot in the bag. "Hold still, I don't want to cut you."

Rylee sliced through the rope and helped him push the cloth off his shoulders and freed his hands. He itched to pull her into his lap and hold her there, thankful that she was unharmed. He looked her over realizing that other than a few flakes of stone dust, she was still fresh from her bath. Her hair was glistening brightly, her long dark waves were even glossier, and looked even softer if it was even possible. She wore clean clothes, the black leather with red and silver bead work. She smelled glorious all he wanted was to bury himself in her for days.

She was so glad he was okay. Rylee wanted to curl up in his lap and hold him close, just to assure herself that he was indeed all right. Instead, she offered her hand to pull him to his feet. She touched his cheek and met his eyes, silently asking if he was uninjured. He brushed his lips over hers in response. Rylee stepped away before they could deepen the kiss, keeping it simple, considering Thorin was right behind Kili. After their shenanigans with the stew the other night, Thorin was even more watchful than before, it was a good thing he knew nothing of their adventure into the forest.

"Have you done that before Rylee?" Fili asked as he pulled Thorin to his feet.

"What, taken down a troll?" Rylee asked in kind, as she stepped away from Kili and picked her whip up from the ground, "Or tried to use my whip to behead something?"

"Uh, both?" Kili looked at her strangely before meeting Fili's glance, both of them nodding.

"Aye, I find my whip works better on them than any axe or sword." Rylee nodded as she moved away grabbing a cloth so she could start cleaning her whip. "Their skin is too thick to penetrate otherwise. Might have something to do with the Blood Mithril, remember?"

"Where were you Rylee? You were supposed to be back by sundown, not sunrise," After spending half the night alternating between being glad that she had not returned and worried about her welfare, he was more than happy to hear her sharp whistle and see her attack from the tree. Between her and the hobbit they made enough of a distraction to get them out safely. Not that he would admit that the Hobbit did anything but blunder about.

"I got caught up by some fiends and then went to burn. We found a natural hot spring and between that and my fire cleanse, I was exhausted and we passed out. It was well after midnight before Mikhaul woke me up." Rylee explained feeling a little embarrassed as she realized that she had never broken curfew before. She ran away from home once, but that was Ages ago. "I am sorry, Ugshar, I did not mean to worry you."

"Yet you did," Thorin said lowly, raising his eyebrow. "Do not let it happen again."

"Well I wasn't planning on it," Rylee returned with a sneer, "Besides, if this is what happens when I am not here, it is best that I remain with you. You lot get into far too much trouble on your own. Walking into a Troll camp, you can smell the beasts a mile away."

Thorin met her eye and with a small smirk he turned away from the trio. She was younger than his nephews and had more battle experience. "Watch your cheek, Rylee. Come help us find the hoard."

"It is to the north, Ugshar," Rylee grimaced, completely unwilling to look for the Troll hoard. She ventured into only one in all of her lives, and she never wanted to repeat the experience. "Follow your nose."

"I was so happy to see you in that tree," Bilbo said as he came up beside her. A happy smile was plastered on his face. "I was so sure that we were done for."

She was about to hug him when she saw the remnants of troll slime on him and instead patted him on his shoulder, "I would hug you, but you are covered in Troll snot. Have fun getting that out of your clothes. The stuff is vile and disgusting. Worse than slough goop, or mud, though not quite as bad as dragon's blood."

"Ugh, it is awful. I would love to have a bath," Bilbo blushed in embarrassment.

"Perhaps, if we have time, I can show you gents to this really nice hot pool I found a few miles up the road." Rylee said with a soft sigh. Remembering the warm water and the hours of lounging and how much it eased her aching muscles. She brushed the thought away, "You were brilliant, Bilbo, to stall for time like that. You have quite a bit of nerve."

"Yes, well, they did come to rescue me after all. I had to do something to return the favor." Bilbo said as he watched the momentary bliss fade from her face. Whatever she was remembering must have been wonderful.

"Well, then you are even, I would say." Rylee told Bilbo as the Hobbit walked away to join Balin for a moment.

She turned and walked back to the camp to see if she could find a source of water to clean her whip. Leaving Kili and Fili staring after her in shock, both of them chased her down. Walking on either side of her, they looked at her as she quickly examined the tiny blades on the whip. "Damn troll skin, I am going to have to soak this to get it all off."

"How long were you in that tree?" Fili asked her as they walked along.

"Not overly long, thankfully. I am not fond of heights," Rylee said softly, looking up at his curious face. "Just long enough to get in to position and wait for a moment to signal Mikhaul."

"How much of that did you hear?" Kili asked, suddenly appalled that she might have heard him say he had parasites.

"I arrived right about when Bombur was about to be eaten." Rylee grinned at him. "Exactly how big are your parasites? And just what shall we do to treat them, Kili? I truly hope they are not contagious."

"Oh, Mahal!" He groaned covering his face in mortification. It was then they heard Thorin call for everyone to search around for a Troll cave. Fili and Kili moved off to do as requested, Kili moaning to Fili about worst timing in the world.

"Aye but watching her take down that Troll was amazing, you have to admit." Fili said staunchly.

"She was very ferocious," Kili agreed with true admiration. "You should have seen her with the Drake, spectacular."

"I swear you two are the most amusing males I have ever met." Rylee chuckled quietly as she walked over to the well and pulled up a bucket of water. She poured it slowly over the chain of her whip, making sure not to splash, finally rinsing away the bits of blood and flesh that still clung to the fine blades. Using both her cloth and three buckets of water, she cleaned away the flesh from the whip. When she was satisfied it was clean again, she moved to wrap it back around her waist.

"May I see that before you put it back on?" Dwalin asked looking at the whip. He smelled of a troll horde. She couldn't help but wrinkle her nose at him.

"You smell of Troll, Master Dwalin." Rylee said as she met his dark gaze and handed him the handle of the whip. Rylee liked him. He was a quiet man, solid, proud and quite smart. He was a very battle minded warrior.

"If you don't like the smell of troll, then I suggest you stay out of that hole. It is worse on the inside." He turned the whip over in his hands, reading the runes moving the rings of metal. He flicked it out and released the catch for the blade. Chuckling in amusement, he then checked the sharpness. "It is very cleverly made. Intricate beyond anything I have ever seen."

"Small fingers to do delicate work," Rylee wiggled her fingers at him. Her small hands were encased in her fingerless gauntlets, making her fingertips look much smaller than they really were.

"Very effective in mid range," Dwalin said handing it back, "All of your weapons are faultless. I would like to see more of your work sometime."

"If I ever have the time to work a forge Master Dwalin, I might make you a blade." Rylee said honestly. She really missed her forge, when the stress became too much or she needed time to think, she liked to make weapons. They helped her to focus. The burning that she was able to do on the road was not enough, and she didn't have the tools needed to make what she wanted.

"I could use a new dagger," Dwalin said with a small smile and a light twinkling in his eyes, "I can always use a new dagger."

"I thought that might be the case," Rylee grinned at him, "I have been coming up with ideas already."

She wrapped the whip around her waist and wandered back to the group just as they were coming out of the stinky cave. Even as far away as she was it reeked. Thorin, Gandalf and Bilbo each held a new weapon in their hands. She recognized the scabbards; they were First Age, High Elven blades. She wondered briefly what swords they were, if she knew the sword smith. Elihara was talented enough to make scabbards like those, but they were not her style. Elorin could make a blade almost as well as Rylee could. She was saddened as she thought about the loss of life in Gondolin. Damn Dragons.

"Something's coming!" Thorin called out, Rylee instinctively reached for her axes. She didn't feel anything dark at the moment. Now that the Trolls were dead, the familiar chill of darkness had ebbed away.

"Hurry now! Arm yourselves." Gandalf called. Everyone ran towards where the noise was coming from, prepared for battle.

"Thieves, fire, murder!" A strange yet familiar voice called out.

"Radagast! Radagast the Brown!" Gandalf said as a long sled pulled by a bunch of rabbits pulled to a stop within the Company. "What on earth are you doing here?"

"I was looking for you Gandalf," Radagast said leaning over to whisper conspiratorially, "There is something terribly wrong."

"Yes?" Gandalf asked looking at the brown wizard with an aura of unease. Rylee took a moment to look upon the wizard. Like Gandalf, Radagast had aged greatly, and his peculiarity was even more exceptional than it was when he lived in Aman. She tried to look past the bird feces caked on the side of his head, spattering down to his shoulder through his uncombed hair.

He tried to say something for a long moment, his eyes quick and bright before they became quite confused and rattled. "I had a thought and then I lost it. It was right there on the tip of my tongue."

There was a moment of realization and suddenly he said with his mouth full, "Oh! It's not a thought at all, it's a silly old stick insect!"

"Oh dear! Parasites and stick insects!" Rylee started to laugh putting her axes away on her back. Kili looked at her in horror as she laughed heartily. She passed the brown wizard and patted him kindly on the shoulder as she approached. "Aiwendil! It is wonderful to see you again, old friend!"

"Rylee Emitheral! It cannot be! I have not seen you since you left Aman! Are you here to slay the last dragon?" Radagast asked as he grabbed her hand pulling her to a stop.

"Aye, I am afraid so." Rylee said softly, looking at him with a note of surprise. Of all people she saw here, he was the only one who knew of her purpose without her having to explain, other than Gandalf of course. It must be some sort of instinct on his part. "Or at least aid in any way that I can. This will be my final quest."

"Is Mikhaul with you?" Radagast asked his eyes sparkling in merriment at the thought of seeing the magnificent bearded mare. Rylee quirked an eyebrow at him and she grinned as he did, "Of course, silly of me, she is wherever you are, my dear lass."

"She has missed your treats, Aiwendil, I suspect she has missed you, but she will not admit it. Not even to me." Rylee grinned. She took in the aged Istari form of Radagast. As a Maia he was just as short, but thinner and less unkempt. Normally he would wear an ochre colored tunic and thin green robes over black breaches. The only thing that remained of Yavanna's Maia was his kindly hazel eyes. "I just cannot get over the difference of you and Gandalf, so very different in this form."

"Well we could not rightly keep our spirit forms now, could we? We would frighten those we seek to aid if we did that!" Radagast smiled at her, releasing her hand as a cloud of confusion washed over his face.

"I will leave you to talk to Gandalf, it seems you have much to discuss," Rylee said, pointing the addled brown wizard in the direction of the tall grey wizard who awaited him. Then she turned to join the others standing watch over the campsite and more importantly to Kili's side. She really didn't mean to slight him earlier, she just wanted to clean her weapon properly before the meat solidified on the blades.

"What do you mean your final quest?" Kili looked at her. His usually laughing eyes were somber and worried.

"I mean this will be my last life," Rylee told him softly, taking his hands in hers. "Once my quest is done, if I die, I return home to Aman. I won't be coming back."

"Rylee-," Kili started, holding her hands tighter.

"It is as it should be Kili, if I die, I don't want to come back to another time or place," She looked up at him, clutching his hands in her own. "It would break my heart, because the only place I want to be is with you."

"What exactly are you saying Rylee?" Kili asked her, pulling her closer to him. If she was saying what he thought she was saying, Mahal, he would-.

"No!" Rylee cried out as she felt the intrusion of something dark hovering close by. She looked at Kili her eyes widening with worry, never before had the darkness come so close to the Company, and never at such speed. "There is something coming, Kili! Something dark! It approaches quickly!"

There were howls close by. Rylee and Kili stiffened in unison.

"Wargs," She whispered quietly, her hands instinctively reaching back for her axes again.

"Are those Wolves?" Bilbo asked his eyes going wide in fear.

"No. Those are not wolves," Bofur said looking around the group, his eyes growing wide with fear.

There was a snarl above them and a Warg ran down the slope toward them. Rylee threw her first axe as it leapt off the rocky embankment right at them. It embedded itself in the Warg's head and the beast crashed to the ground beside Nori. Thorin gave a second hit with a bright silvery sword severing its neck. Another Warg came down behind Thorin and Kili raised his bow taking a shot. The massive beast fell to the side and Dwalin finished it off with his axes. Rylee grabbed her axe out of the head of the first beast wiping the blood off on the dead thing's fur.

"Warg scouts," Thorin said as he pulled his new Elven sword out of the Warg's flesh. "Which means an Orc pack is not far behind."

"Orc pack?" Bilbo asked his eyes widened in fear.

"I don't understand," Rylee said to Thorin and Gandalf, "They have never come so close to the Company before. The ones tracking me, they keep their distance until I am alone."

"I don't think they are after you Rylee," Radagast said looking at her, and then at Thorin, "They were trying to attack him."

"Who did you tell of your quest? Other than your Kin who did you tell?" Gandalf asked Thorin angrily. He stepped forward with aggression, and Rylee wondered what it was that Radagast had to say that would set Gandalf off like that. It could not be very pleasant news.

"No one!" Thorin protested angrily, he looked at Gandalf like he was going crazy. Then he remembered their meeting at the Prancing Pony months before. There was a price on his head. The Orcs would undoubtedly be interested in the prize money. Still he told no one.

"Who did you tell?" Gandalf yelled it this time. Rylee's hackles rose steadily, something was really not right with this whole situation.

"No one! I swear it!" Thorin yelled back in earnest. "What in Durin's name is going on?"

"You are being hunted." Gandalf said looking around in worry.

"This is my fault!" Rylee said looking up at Thorin, concern darkening her eyes. "Mikhaul and I noticed something following when we left for my bath yesterday. We killed them, but there may have been more. I must have led them to the Company on our way back, but I swear neither Mikhaul nor I sensed anything following us."

"We have to get out of here," Dwalin said looking at Thorin and the rest of the group in worry.

"We can't, we have no ponies! They bolted!" Ori said as he came over the outcropping of rocks, Bifur following closely behind him.

"I will draw them off," Radagast offered looking up at Gandalf.

"As will I," Rylee said, Kili grabbed her wrist and looked at her in worry. She met his worried gaze and said adamantly, "If they are after me, I will not risk you and the others, for myself. I will help draw them away."

"But the ponies are gone!" Kili reminded her trying to keep her with him. He could not stand the idea of her being apart from him when there was danger so close by.

She smiled up at him reassuringly, "Mikhaul never runs off. We will be fine, you stay safe."

"Rylee!" Kili tried again and got the flash of an anger filled frown in return. Her eyes sparked with white fire, he stepped back. "Just be careful, please Rylee."

"Stop worrying so much Kili," Rylee growled softly, for his ears only. She placed her hands on his cheeks and put her forehead against his. "Stay out of trouble, Kili, I will do the same. Mikhaul and I will find you later."

Kili kissed her, he wanted to ask her to accept his braid, he wanted to claim her and let the world know that he cared for her. "Do not fight them Rylee, just lure them away."

"I cannot make that promise, Kili," Rylee shook her head slowly, "This is a battle, and I will fight if I must."

"Those are Gundabad Wargs they will outrun you." Gandalf turned looking down at both Rylee and Radagast, thinking that what they were offering was a fool's mission, they would get themselves killed.

"These are Rhosgobel Rabbits," Radagast said with a bit of an impish smile "I'd like to see them try."

"Gundabad or not, Mikhaul is faster than Werewolves, she can easily outrun Wargs," Rylee grinned at the brown wizard.

"I am game," Mikhaul said into their minds as she stepped out of the darkness of the forest, beside a massive boulder. The Dwarves stepped away from the massive horse. There were only two of Rylee's packs on her back, one for her bedroll the other for her personal effects. She was carrying a much lighter load than the last time they saw her. "Let's do this, shall we?"

"I have always loved that creature," Radagast sighed upon seeing Mikhaul. Out of one of his many pockets he pulled out a treat for the great horse and Mikhaul took it happily, nudging the brown wizard affectionately on the shoulder, completely unaffected about the bird excrement caked on the brown wizard's face.

Rylee hauled herself up onto the great mare, "Get your things ready to go. We will keep them busy for as long as we can."

"Are you certain you want to do this Rylee?" Thorin looked up at her, his face was stoic as always but his eyes spoke of concern and Rylee reached down and touched his cheek with her hand. His hand covered hers.

"Aye, Ugshar, I will do what I can to keep the Company safe," Rylee met his eye and said with determination, "Orcs and Wargs never know what to make of me, so I will be safe enough. You just get everyone to safety and I will catch up with you later."

"You keep her safe, Mikhaul," Thorin said softly as he looked at the horse putting his hand softly on her muzzle, "and you, be safe too. Go with speed."

"And you Thorin," Mikhaul returned into his mind, "Keep the Company safe. Rylee needs you all, you have come to mean the world to her."


	18. Chasing Tails

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, any of Tolkien's works or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either. I own only my OC's.**

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**I am not sure why, but this chapter feels really big to me, when really it is average in size. I think it's because it is so full of action.**

Chapter 18

Chasing Tails

May 28

The company was ready to go. With their belongings packed and piled onto their backs all they needed was their distraction. Radagast hopped onto the back of his sled and yipped at the rabbits to go. Rylee and Mikhaul gave immediate chase. They were right on the tail of Radagast's sled as they rushed through the trees and out into the open rocky fields.

The Orc pack picked up their trail and dashed after them, following the sled and the horse as they raced away from the others.

"Come and get me!" Radagast cried, taunting the Wargs as they took after him. The massive brown rabbits were racing across the rocky fields and Mikhaul was keeping pace. Both Rylee and Mikhaul knew very well that they could go faster but that was not the point, they were acting as decoys.

"It has been too long Aiwendil!" Rylee laughed as she and Mikhaul pulled up beside the sled.

Radagast agreed, "It has been a long time since I chased the pair of you through the fields."

Thorin waited just long enough for Rylee and Radagast to catch the attention of the Wargs and Orcs before they made their move. As a group the Dwarves followed Gandalf out of the forest and into the rocky plains. Kili ran with the others from rock formation to rock formation, all the while worrying for his One and her horse. Damn it! Rylee was his One! This was not a good time for the realization to hit him, it made him immediately feel sick to his stomach with worry. It was made all the worse when he saw the pair with the brown wizard, leaping over boulders with Wargs at their heels. Mikhaul snapped her back hooves into the teeth of a few Wargs as they came too close to the wizard and then sped up to move slightly ahead of the sled. If they could go faster why weren't they? Was it to keep the little wizard safe?

It didn't take Rylee long to realize that the Orcs and Wargs were not after her and Mikhaul, they were most definitely interested in Radagast, and they were sniffing and seeking out the Dwarves the entire time. There was only one thing that Rylee could do to keep their attention. The one thing she knew for certain that they would hate. She unclipped her whip, allowed it to uncoil and let the bright mithril trail on the long grass below them. Rylee twisted in the saddle, "Keep Radagast safe Mikhaul, I am going to make some new friends."

"Come on!" Gandalf called out as they ran in yet another direction to yet another rock formation. He was leading them quickly over the rough terrain and seemed to be searching for something in particular. Whatever it was, Kili hoped that he found it quickly. There were more Wargs and Orcs than even they anticipated. Rylee was certain that they were after her, but they seemed to be focusing more on the wizard than her and Mikhaul. He watched in horror as once again they dropped behind so that Mikhaul could kick her back legs into another Warg's side as it went after Radagast. He saw the flash of Rylee's whip as it flashed over the tops of the Orc's heads. The crack of the whip could be heard for miles.

Mahal! They were purposely instigating a fight! Rylee was in so much trouble when he saw her next. Worry and fear for them clung to Kili as he ran with the group. They ran to the next outcropping as fast as their feet could carry them and then had to change directions as Mikhaul and the Rhosgobel's swerved around a massive rock to avoid another party of Wargs. There were even more than before, where were these creatures coming from? It was a war party and the entire company was easily outnumbered three to one.

"Stay together!" Gandalf yelled as they ran for yet another set of massive boulders. The clutch of dwarves began to separate under the burden of their packs. Several were lagging behind, winded and exhausted from no sleep.

"Move!" Thorin ordered, trying to get the group to catch up to the grey wizard as he ran from boulder to boulder, seeking the safest paths. The horse, rabbits, and their riders swept past with the Wargs following close behind, Rylee with her whip working the creatures into an angry frenzy. Ori made to continue on and Thorin just barely hauled him back yelling, "Ori, no! Come Back!"

Gandalf waited for the danger to pass before running off in another direction, towards another outcropping. The gate had to be nearby, he could feel the tremors of magic, "Come on! Quick!"

"Where are you leading us?" Thorin asked Gandalf and rolled his eyes when he once again did not get an answer. The wizard took off once more over the rough terrain and towards another tall boulder rising out of the grass lands. The Company had little choice but to follow since Gandalf was their guide.

"Aiwendil! This way!" Rylee called to him. Twice now he had moved direction too close to the running dwarves. They needed to get the Orcs away and off the scent of the Dwarves. Aiwendil swerved to follow her and the Wargs and their riders followed him, all but one pair. It moved off, finding a scent. Damn it! Damn it all to the Timeless Void! Rylee didn't slow, she could not, and all she could do was hope that the Company could finish that pair quickly and quietly.

"Why the hell is Gandalf weaving through the rocks? He is going in every damn direction!" Rylee asked Aiwendil as they swerved once again away from the teeth of the Wargs. There was no rhyme or reason to Gandalf's actions as far as she could tell.

"He's looking for the Hidden Pass to Imladris!" Aiwendil called to her over the thundering of many feet.

Hope bloomed in Rylee's chest. They might just come out of this alive. She hoped that Gandalf was successful, wherever the gate was she hoped he found it soon. The rest of the Orcs and Wargs continued after them as they tried to keep them away from the Dwarves long enough for Gandalf to lead them to safety. The only thing keeping the enemy on their tail was Radagast and the rage she was inducing with her whip. These creatures didn't want her. It was like they had a different task, one that indeed centered on Thorin and the Company.

The Warg and its rider was on top of the rock that they were hiding behind. They could hear it above them sniffing them out. It would not be long before the others were called to their hiding place. Thorin looked at Kili's bow and indicated for him to take a shot. He notched an arrow, took a breath, stepped out and aimed at the Warg. It jumped at the last second, taking the shot in its right flank instead of the chest where he aimed it. The Orc was about to blow his horn to alert the others when Kili took another shot and it hit the Orc high and to the right. They fell but did not go quietly.

They were back up within seconds ready to attack, roaring and screaming their battle cries. Dwalin attacked the Orc, fighting it back with his war hammer while Thorin and Bifur took down the Warg. The Orc put up a fight, his screams echoed over the plains and they could hear the howls and growls of the rest of the pack. Once the Warg was dead Thorin and Bifur helped Dwalin put an end to the Orc.

The great chase was at an end as Rylee heard the screams coming from the stray Warg and rider. The Orcs stopped behind them, looking back in the direction of the others. Rylee's heart stopped. "Go Aiwendil! We will give them cover!"

The wizard and his rabbits moved along quickly and Mikhaul and Rylee turned back giving chase to the Wargs. She raced into the din, whip flashing. The Wargs on the outskirts looked at her in confusion. She smelled like an ally, like werewolf, dragon, and darkness. Rylee laughed.

Whip flashing she split through the torso of one Orc as Mikhaul smashed at the Warg with her steely hooves. Blood sprayed up and over them as the whip flicked around them. At the obvious danger the Wargs moved off and she could see them fanning out, away from her, circling her friends as they went.

She and Mikhaul chased down the next threat. There was a bow man, aiming at Kili! Rylee growled in anger and her protective instincts raged within her. No one was going to harm her One. Rylee pointed him out and growled, "That one Mikhaul, that one is next!"

"Move! Run!" Gandalf yelled leading them once again, over hills, around rocks and through valleys. They ran as fast as they could but the beasts were closing in and they were starting to circle. Off in the distance he could see Radagast disappear into the safety of the forest. Rylee and Mikhaul swung back around and jumped immediately into battle. He watched for a second in confusion as the Orcs made wide girth away from Rylee and Mikhaul, not at all interested in her as their enemy, even though she was attacking them.

Gloin pointed out a group of ten Wargs and their riders circling in their direction, "There they are!"

"This way, quickly!" Gandalf yelled leading them onward. They could still make it, he could feel the brush of power getting stronger, they were close to the Elven Gate he could feel it. He just needed to find the right stone marker. They ran as far as they could before they were cut off from the other side by another even larger pack circling around them.

"There's more coming!" Kili yelled at his uncle, waiting for instruction. He still had his bow in hand, and an arrow ready, he just needed to know if they were running or standing their ground. He turned just in time to miss seeing a Warg pounce at Mikhaul, hauling Rylee to the ground.

"Kili shoot them!" Thorin ordered. He knew full well that Kili's bow was the only thing that really stood a chance at keeping the horde of Orcs at a distance until they regrouped. Kili did exactly as requested and began firing at the Orcs, shot after shot. Thorin could see Rylee in the distance fighting off a massive black Warg.

Rylee felt the breath leave her chest, but she refused to stay down, jumping back to her feet as the Warg turned on her. Whip still in hand, she slashed but the beast was too close for her to use it effectively. It rushed at her again and she rolled away grabbing her axes as she moved. She swung them out, the red blades catching the light. With a war cry she ran at the massive beast, meeting it in the field, embedding her blades deep into the creature's skull. She turned to see an Orc approaching quickly, she sneered at it and swung her black coated axes, daring it to attack. It stopped suddenly and she screamed in rage and ran at it. It swung its dagger at her head and she slid on her back between his legs, plowing both axes into his groin. The Orc fell to his knees and Rylee jumped to her feet and spun, swinging her axe out, removing his head.

There was a flurry of activity and Thorin lost sight of Rylee in the action. He brushed away the distracting emotions as he worried briefly for her safety, she was a warrior, and this was what she was trained for. A swell of pride rose through Thorin, in the past eighty two years he helped raise and train three strong warriors.

"We're surrounded!" Fili yelled as he turned back to where the Wargs and Orcs were coming from. The company began to back up, grouping closer and closer together, weapons drawn, as the Orcs slowly stalked them, hunting them down and herding them together like they were animals. Kili let off a shot hitting an Orc square in the chest, the Warg underneath him roared in anger as its rider fell.

"Where's Gandalf!" Kili yelled looking for any aid. He saw Rylee standing on the ground stowing her axes. Mikhaul galloped past her and as she swept by, he was relieved to see Rylee pull herself back on top of the big horse. Moments later her whip lashed out once again.

"He's abandoned us!" Dwalin cried out, his voice filled with frustration.

"Hold your ground!" Thorin ordered to the Company as the Wargs began to close in. It seemed that every time they ran in to trouble the Wizard pulled a disappearing act. He was leading them somewhere so maybe he was still close by. Until they knew where Gandalf went they needed to stay where they were.

They gathered together, Kili was still shooting off arrow after arrow trying to give them time. He could see Rylee riding closer and closer, her whip flashing out to slice off the head of a distant Orc as Mikhaul's steely hooves crashed down on the Warg he was riding. His heart nearly stopped when he saw her, she was covered in black gore. Her whip was flashing, black Warg blood spraying up and out in every direction as he heard her issue another battle cry as she went after another Orc and its mount.

"This way you fools!" Gandalf roared from behind a great rock, he found the entrance and was halfway down the path before he realized that the Dwarves were not with him. He shook his head and met Thorin's eye before dropping back down into the entrance of the hidden gate. The dwarves turned back to see Gandalf drop into a hole hidden in the ground.

"Come on move! Quickly all of you! Go, go, go!" Thorin yelled. The Company scrambled back towards the rock. One at a time the dwarves disappeared from view. Kili just needed to give them more time. Rylee and Mikhaul were cutting down another Warg and rider. Thorin lashed out at a Warg that drew too close, killing it just in time to allow more of the company to jump into the hole. He could hear Gandalf below counting off the dwarves as they came down.

"Nine, ten," Gandalf's voice carried upwards. Fili, Kili and Thorin were the only ones left above ground. Thorin indicated for Fili to jump into the crack and turned back to Kili.

Rylee saw them coming, the Elves, and was never so happy to see them in any of her lives. She returned to the fight full throttle, trying not to feel sick as she watched Kili fire arrow after arrow at the Orcs. He seemed so far away from everyone else. All she could do was take down as many of the vile creatures as possible until the Elves arrived. There was another archer aiming for Kili. She looped her whip, hung it on the pommel of her saddle, and grabbed her axes. She pointed it out to Mikhaul and yelled, "That one Mikhaul, I will kill that one!"

"Kili, run!" He heard Thorin call. Everyone else was in the tunnel and Kili ran for safety. Wargs were right on his heels the entire way and just as he and Thorin dropped to the bottom of the rock they heard horns sounding far above them. He couldn't believe he just left Rylee and Mikhaul to their fates, he felt sick to his stomach. He looked back up at the daylight above them wondering, hoping, and praying that Rylee would make it alive. The cuff on his wrist felt as heavy as his guilt in that moment.

"Rylee will be fine, she is a warrior, and will find safety." Fili pulled Kili away from the rocky entrance, knowing that if he didn't, his reckless brother would go back for her. Rylee would be enraged if Kili put himself into harm's way for no reason. "She will be angry if you go after her."

"I know that, but I don't have to like it!" Kili said in frustration. This was getting to be too much, she was unlike every woman he ever met, and he couldn't even do his job as a Dwarf and protect her. She was so stubborn that she didn't even take orders from Thorin and he was her mentor and guardian. How was he supposed to deal with all of this? He knew he wanted her, but was all this extra stress worth it? He fingered the cuff around his wrist and wondered briefly if it was truly a token of her affection, or if it was a shackle to remind him of what he was giving up for her. Peace of mind was at the top of that list.

The first thing he did that morning was embarrass himself by screaming that he had huge parasites, which Rylee made into a jest at his expense. He was mortified by that alone, then for her to take off with the dirty brown wizard, he was upset that she would just leave him behind. The glare she gave him when he tried to stop her gave him pause, like he insulted her by trying to keep her safe. Seeing her in battle, instigating and fighting the Orcs and Wargs, he felt proud that he had fallen for someone so strong. Even if he was constantly concerned about her safety.

They could hear the sounds of battle still raging above them, arrows flying. The battle cry of a familiar dwarrowdam and there were the sounds of horses, a whole herd of horses had joined Mikhaul. Hearing her battle cry, Kili knew he could not doubt these feelings. She was his One, and he wanted her safe beside him. He hated the fact that he was not able to fight with her, that he was in the safety of a cave and she was up there fighting for them.

It was that moment that an Orc fell into the hole, rolling to a stop at their feet, a broken arrow protruding from its neck. Thorin pulled it out and looked at it. It was of Elven make, he tossed the arrow to the side and spat, "Elves."

"I cannot see where the path leads! Do I follow it or not?" Dwalin asked.

"Follow it of course!" Bofur said as he took off after Dwalin.

Gandalf sighed in frustration as the dwarves made their way after Dwalin, "I think that would be wise."

The company moved out, but Kili stopped and looked up towards the daylight. The sound of battle had moved away and that bothered him more than listening to it from a distance. He could no longer hear Rylee, the silence was eerie. He was at war with himself. Fear settled in the pit of his stomach as he thought of all the things that Orcs could do to Rylee if they caught her. He tried to shake it off. Rylee was a warrior, she could handle herself. If there were elves they would keep Rylee safe, at least he hoped they would. He turned and followed the others.

They made their way down the path. It was technically the bottom of a massive crevasse, fissured in the granite lying deep under the mountainous foothills and plains. The grey rock was marbled occasionally with white quartz and there was an abundance of lichen, moss, and other herbs that grew on the small outcroppings where dirt and sediments could collect. Bombur tried to stop once to collect some but was shoved along by his cousin, to keep him from holding up the line. They walked for miles under the ground, completely undetectable from those on the land high above them.

Hours went by as they travelled, and still Kili's thoughts were on Rylee, hoping that she was safe. The granite pass ran for a couple of miles under the ground, but unlike a cave there was light the entire way due to the fissure in the stone high above them, that guided their way. The whole thing was impressive, but Kili could barely even concentrate on what he was seeing around him, he was too focused on his feelings for Rylee. He felt a tremor of something that reminded him of her voice and the effect that it had over him. He was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Bilbo speak behind him.

"Gandalf," Bilbo said, his voice was filled with a mixture of awe and confusion. "Where are we?"

"You can feel it?" Gandalf inquired with a note of surprise.

Bilbo looked back and Kili slowed so he could listen to what was said. "Yes, it feels like, well like Magic."

"That's exactly what it is," Gandalf said looking at Bilbo with an expression of wonder. "A very powerful magic."

They heard expressions of awe and annoyance coming from the others up ahead and continued on and the tunnel curved, finally it opened up and they were fanned with the soft spray of a thin waterfall as it cascaded down the side of the fissure. The granite walls opened up and from their path they could see the great mountain walls rise protectively over a massive valley.

Towering rock walls enshrouded a small city of open structures, showcasing archways, waterways, and a labyrinth of bridges that led through what was obviously intricate Elven architecture. Other than the fact that it was purely above ground and open to the elements, it would easily rival the great halls of Ered Luin and the other Dwarrow Halls Kili had visited. He had to grudgingly admit that this river city was quite beautiful.

All of the structure was made to allow the great waterways to fall unimpeded into the great river far below. A great deal of what could be seen was hewn from stone, marble, and wood. The buildings had arched and domed roofs, large open windows, long terraces and sweeping staircases.

"The Valley of Imladris. In the Common Tongue, it's known by another name." Gandalf said to Bilbo with a twinkle of his eye.

The Hobbit was very well read, so it was no surprise to Kili when Bilbo responded, "Rivendell."

"Here lies the last Homely House east of the sea." Gandalf said with no small amount of awe of his own. It was a very pretty valley. The trees had leaves of many different colors, and the warm spring sunshine lit everything around them. The roar of the rivers and waterfalls were deafening and yet they didn't seem to impede the gales of laughter and music that could be heard in the city far below the trail.

"This was your plan all along, to seek refuge with our enemy." Thorin scowled at Gandalf, all of their talk the day before had been for naught. The Wizard had found a way to ensure that they crossed paths with Elves.

Gandalf looked down at Thorin, the Dwarf who was endlessly trying his patience, and making things needlessly difficult. He spoke in a tone filled with exasperation, "You have no enemies here, Thorin Oakenshield. The only ill will to be found in this valley is that which you bring yourself."

Thorin was frustrated. The elves were not going to help them. At every turn they seemed to thwart the actions of the Dwarves. Never in his one hundred ninety-five years had he seen the so-called protectors of Middle-Earth come to their aid, "You think the Elves will give our quest their blessing? They will try to stop us."

"Of course they will. But we have questions that need to be answered." Gandalf said meeting his eyes. He did understand the Dwarf's frustration. Elves were not usually very accepting of Dwarves and vise-versa, from what he had seen in the five years he spend with Rylee in the First Age. The Dwarves of Nogrod destroyed much of the trust that Durin and Rylee worked so hard to build when they attacked Doriath.

Other than those few Elves that Rylee kept around her as friends, there were few that wanted anything at all to do with the people of Aulë. There was little hope for the girl to ever truly unite the three great creations of Ilúvatar, adopted or otherwise. "If we are to be successful, this will need to be handled with tact and respect and no small degree of charm, which is why you will leave the talking to Rylee and I."

They continued down the trail of naturally hewn stairs as they made their way over towering ridges and thin paths towards a main roadway and a bridge that led into the city. The more they saw of the towering archways and the massive rivers cutting under and through the buildings, the more disquieted the dwarves became. They were not used to such natural peacefulness. Dwarf cities would be crowded with people. There would be sounds of workmen doing their craft, and the heavy ringing of picks hewing the stone. There would be the banter and shouts of merchants selling their wares and the villagers who stopped to buy their crafts. The two cities were as different as black beside white, yet no less beautiful.

They met up with the main road that led deeper into the valley and followed it onto the bridge that they had seen from high above the city. The bridge took them through a high arched Elven gate and beyond it was a pair of stone Elven statues and a large round courtyard, beyond it a dark haired elf glided down the long staircase to greet them. He took one look at Gandalf and said with a troubled smile, "Mithrandir."

"Ah, Lindir!" Gandalf greeted, him as the Dwarves followed him onto the massive circular entry way, they peered over the edges that fell away to the roaring rivers far below.

"Stay sharp." Thorin said quietly to Dwalin as a sense of disquiet fell over them, they watched Gandalf and the elf speak to each other.

"Lastannem i athrannedh i Vruinen." Lindir said directly to Gandalf, he ignored the dwarves for the moment.

Gandalf knew that Lindir preferred to speak in his native Sindarin. The words he spoke meant, 'We heard you had crossed into the Valley.' He offered a tight smile as he looked at Lindir, "I must speak with Lord Elrond."

"My lord Elrond is not here." Lindir said meeting his eyes.

"Not here? Where is he?" Gandalf asked with a note of suspicion. Behind him he heard the Elvish horns that marked their presence on the plains and after meeting Lindir's expectant gaze he turned towards the sound of horses and armed Elvish warriors as they rode in at a quick pace.

* * *

The Company was safe and the Elves were there. Rylee had taken down the Orc archer with her axes moments before they arrived. She was back atop Mikhaul as the Elves joined the fray. Mikhaul whinnied in greeting to the other horses as she smashed her hooves into the head of an Orc and Rylee flashed out her whip at yet another Warg as she passed it. Flicking her wrist and severing its head, more blood flying and covering her and Mikhaul. Arrows were flying and the elves surrounded her and Mikhaul. A few of the Orcs got away but the majority was taken down with the arrival of the Elves.

"If I didn't see it with my own eyes I would call you an apparition." Elrond said in Sindarin.

"The last time I saw you, you were little more than a boy!" Rylee responded in kind with a smile, Elrond and his twin brother were only in their fifties when she found them on the trail to Gil-galad's encampment. Over the five years she spent with them, they grew into mighty warriors. "But then that was only a few weeks ago in my mind, where as you have had thousands of years to forget picking on me."

"You were always so fun to pester though." Elrond said as the guard surrounded her. "How is it possible you are here?"

"I am here because the Valar have sent me." Rylee said meeting his eyes soberly. She wiped her hand across her face drawing away some of the sticky Orc blood. More blood, more mess, so gross. As long as she didn't get it in her mouth she would be fine, Orc blood tasted horrible and she was unwilling to repeat the experience, "I am here on a quest."

"But Saruman said you were mortally wounded at the battle of Scatha, he was not sure if you would return," Elrond told her looking quite confused.

"I die at the end of every quest, Elrond, I return when the Valar choose for me to do so." Rylee told him with a wry smile. She felt a little disheartened by the news that she truly was here for Scatha and had secretly hoped that Esgaud was lying to her about it. "So, I was here to kill Scatha? Why then, do I not remember it?"

"What do you mean, you do not remember it?" Elrond looked shocked.

"I only know what Esgaud told me before Kili and I killed him," Rylee shook her head. "I am certain that he spoke at least a few lies, he was, after all, a dragon."

"So the Great Cold Drake is now gone?" Elrond smiled looking at her. It was almost the same look she remembered on him when they were fighting dragons in the First Age.

"Aye, but I have questions, Elrond, I don't remember anything that happened with Scatha. I do not know if any of my friends survived, I am feeling lost. I don't know what my duties are as Rúnyatári. I have little sense of the history of the past six thousand years." Rylee started listing off all the things she needed answers to. "Gandalf insists that I contact Saruman, he is certain that he may be able to answer my questions."

"Will you come to Rivendell?" Elrond met her gaze with a contemplative one of his own. "Perhaps we can find your answers together."

"I do suppose that would be wise, would it not?" Rylee laughed. One of the Elven guard handed her a handful of Yellow and Black fletched arrows. Kili's arrows. She wondered for a moment why they would think they were hers, until she remembered the bow sitting with her packs on the back of Mikhaul. She accepted them gracefully with a smile. She would return them to Kili later.

"Ride with me then, Emitheral." Elrond offered. The last time he saw her she was the cold Queen of Red Flames, Rúnyatári. She seemed more open and relaxed than he ever knew her to be. There was a bright spark in her that he had not seen since the first days he met her, when she arrived for her third quest. "The least we can do is give you food, lodging and a place to clean up. Gil-galad kept your belongings and gathered those that Oropher and Thranduil had in their possession. He said you would be back for them. I brought them here and made a place for you in case you returned. You are still quite the little warrior."

"Little I might be, but you will not find a fiercer fighter." Rylee quipped. It was just like old times. "Who else is with you here in Rivendell? Any one I might know?"

"There may be a few here that you might remember fondly," Elrond watched with amusement as a grin lit her bloodied face. "We shall get you a bath first and I will invite them to dinner."

"That would be wonderful!" Rylee grinned a small spark of white fire lit her eyes.

Elrond smiled in return. He forgot what a firecracker Emitheral could be when among people akin to her. Elorin and Elihara were both weapon-smiths, best in their field, and both of them adored Emitheral. He would be sure to invite them to surprise the Daughter of Aulë. This would be a lively gathering, one he wished his family could be a part of.

It was a quick ride to the gates of the beautiful river city. When they got there the dwarves were already in the center of the gateway and from the looks of it expecting an attack. She heard Thorin command, "Ifridî bekâr! Close ranks!"

They must have thought the elves were threatening them as they came charging in as they did. Rylee hung back so that Elrond could greet them properly, watching as the Elves and their horses paraded around the tight knit circle of Dwarves. She and Mikhaul stood silently between the two tall Elvish statues, not wanting to bloody the door step.

"Gandalf!" Elrond smiled in greeting at the old wizard.

"Lord Elrond!" Gandalf said stepping forward to meet his old friend, speaking in Sindarin, "My friend. Where have you been?"

"We've been hunting a pack of Orcs that came up from the south." Elrond said in kind as he slipped off of his horse. "We slew a number near the Hidden Pass. We found Emitheral there as well, am I to assume she was travelling with you?"

"She is well then?" Gandalf asked in common tongue, and then smiled in response as he spied Rylee sitting atop Mikhaul still covered in Orc and Warg blood. Her whip coiled loosely in one hand, Kili's arrows in the other. They looked like keepers of death standing in the stone gateway as they were.

"She is more vicious and deadly than I remember. Strange for Orcs to come so close to our borders, something or someone has drawn them near," Elrond said as he showed Gandalf the Orc knife he found discarded on the battle field.

"Ah, that may have been us." Gandalf said as he indicated the Dwarves gathered in the center of the courtyard. He met Rylee's eyes, she was certain that the Orcs were after her, but during the chase the Orcs were more interested in Radagast than her. She shook her head at him in confusion, letting him know that she too was not certain why they would be after the Company. Gandalf knew though. They were after Thorin. They were after the price on his head, someone out there wanted the Heir of Erebor dead.

Thorin stepped out from the horde of Dwarves to greet the lord of Rivendell, and Elrond turned to meet him, "Welcome Thorin, son of Thrain."

"I do not believe we have met," Thorin said taken somewhat aback. As far as he could remember he had never met this Lord Elrond.

"You have your grandfather's bearing, I knew Thror when he ruled under the mountain." Elrond said with a knowledge that could only be honed by time.

"Indeed, he made no mention of you." Thorin said his eyes steely, his tone brusque. Rylee dropped her head in frustration, now she understood Gandalf's irritation with her mentor. Thorin was purposely slighting a potential ally.

"Nartho i noer, toltho i viruvor. Boe i annam vann a nethail vin." Elrond spoke directly to Thorin in Sindarin and Rylee rolled her eyes, he was looking for an uproar, which he got. He always was a cheeky one, even if it was subtle.

"What is he saying? Does he offer us insult?" Gloin called from amongst the dwarves as they all began to become riled, their voices rising over the courtyard.

"Nay, Master Gloin! He said 'Light the fires, bring forth the wine. We must feed our guests'," Rylee's voice called from the gate, her form hidden by the Elven guard. "Really, Elrond, must you be so cheeky?"

Lord Elrond met her eyes and smirked. Rylee grinned, her white teeth flashing under the black blood that smeared her face.

Gloin and the others huddled together before turning back to the Elven Lord and telling him, "Lead on then!"

"Aye, lead on, the Valar know we could use the rest after that!" Rylee agreed wholeheartedly. The Elven guard made an opening for Mikhaul and they moved forward among the other riders. Her blood covered form took many of the dwarves as well as Lindir aback. The little dwarrowdam looked to be pure War Maiden, splattered from head to foot in the blood of her enemies.

"Mahal! Rylee, what have you done?" Kili cried at the sight of her. His heart nearly stopped beating at the sight of her. If she was blood covered before, she looked even more savage sitting atop an equally bloodied Mikhaul in the courtyard of the Elven city, "You were just supposed to lead them away!"

"Aye, which we did, until you lot created that bloody racket and drew them right to you!" Rylee growled at him. What was his problem? It's not like she did something out of the ordinary.

"What were we supposed to do?" Kili yelled back at her. He could not believe her! She purposely went after those Orcs and Wargs. She and Mikhaul attacked them from the very beginning. They were in the very heart of the battle the entire time. The dwarves around them were getting uncomfortable being in the midst of their first real lovers spat. "Let them kill us?"

"No you fool! You were supposed to stay out of their path!" Her voice was rising and her eyes were starting to spark. There was that energy again, the power that was in her voice.

"Would have been easier, if you and that brown Wizard had not kept circling back," Kili told her angrily, he got nods of agreement from the rest of the Company. He could not believe they were fighting about this, "I saw you attacking them long before that scout came upon us. Even then, you should not have come back for us! You are too hotheaded and battle crazed for your own good!"

"So, I was just supposed to let them kill you? That would defeat my purpose here, do you not think?" She yelled hotly, she was completely enraged. She cared about them, she was not going to just stand back and let Orcs and Wargs tear them apart. "I did what needed to be done! The ones that I killed were archers and they were aiming at you, you bloody arse! Get it through your thick head; I am the War Maiden of The Valar, the Daughter of Aulë, not some housemaid, Kili! I fight in battles, I am here on a quest, not to cook or clean house. Elrond, if you would please provide me a guide, while you attend to your guests, I have a need to be away from the insolence of thickheaded Dwarves."

"Of course, my dear Emitheral, I apologize for making you wait unnecessarily" Elrond said, he indicated for the captain of his guard to escort her within, "Take Rúnyatári to the House of Aulë."

"Rúnyatári, this way please," The captain of the guard looked at Rylee, a smile played about the Elf's face as he met her eye.

Kili didn't appreciate the blatant admiration that lit the Elf's face as he indicated for Rylee to follow. Mikhaul immediately turned to follow the Captain and his horse, but Rylee didn't look at him, nor did she look back at the Company, her spine was rigid with anger. He could see the admiration for Rylee on the faces of every one of the Elves present in the courtyard. He hated it, she was his! She was his One. Mahal made her for him.

"Where are you going?" Kili demanded. He needed to know where she was going now. It was unbearable to have her out of his sight, whether he was mad at her or not.

"For a bath!" Rylee shouted as they passed him. "Not that it's any of your bloody business."

"You are a fool, Kili. You should never berate her for doing her duty, it was what she was created to do," Mikhaul whispered into his mind as they rode past. She whipped her tail at Kili, swatting him in the head. "Do you remember her that night at the river, seeing her naked before the bandits, swimming in the pool. She told me you saw her."

Kili nearly fell over at the memory, and Fili looked at him in askance. Then Mikhaul did something he didn't know she could do. She sent him an image of Rylee in her bath sheet, drying her pale hairless legs, "Oi! Mikhaul, that is not fair!"

Fili hooted as the thoughts were sent into his mind as well, "Wow, Rylee, you have beautiful legs!"

"What did you do now, Mikhaul?" Rylee's angry voice called as they walked away. Fili chuckled at the gasp from Rylee that followed, "Oh! You didn't! Mikhaul! Why would you do such a thing?"

"She sent them to you too!" Kili accused, suddenly angry that his brother got to envision something so private the horse was out of her mind! "Mikhaul!"

"Aye, Kili," Fili shook his head as he watched Rylee and Mikhaul move away.

"Of all the harebrained, idiotic things you could have done! I have seen Balrogs smarter than the pair of you combined, really Mikhaul!" She said in frustration then Rylee started to swear, words in Khuzdul and Sindarin both, Elven and Dwarven ears began to burn, hearing such words fall from her lips.

Bofur hooted in glee and cried, "I don't think I have ever heard a woman use words like that before."

"I have, Master Dwarf, but that was ages ago," Elrond told them with a mild smirk on his face as he looked down at Kili, "Though I must say, she is being relatively polite. She must like you, Master Dwarf."

"I did say she could swear like a wayfarer in every language," Gandalf said with no small amount of amusement.

Kili understood every word she said in Khuzdul, and his heart sank. She told him to suck an Orc's bollocks and enter the ass end of a Wereworm. That was right after telling Mikhaul that she was about to become Dragon shit. If that was her being polite, he never wanted to hear what she had to say about him while being impolite. The worst part, the mare just laughed the entire time. He was mortified once again, his face red with shame.

After being shown a place to stow their belongings and clean up for dinner, they were escorted to a large terrace that overlooked the bay. The scenery was breathtaking. Even Kili had to admit to that. There was nothing like it anywhere in Middle-Earth.

* * *

"Are you all right, Your Majesty? You seem quite angry," The Captain of the Guard asked her once she finally fell into silence.

"Aye, Mikhaul here just does not have boundaries," Rylee said feeling quite chagrined.

"But what you said was also directed at that young archer," He pressed as they rode side by side through the city.

"That is because between him and Mikhaul, I may never have a day's peace for the remainder of my life. Really, yelling at the War Maiden of The Valar for going to war!" Rylee scoffed and shook her head. "The things I do for that Dwarf!"

"I take it you care for him?" The guard smirked at her, his admiration still apparent on his face.

"Aye, I care for him, not that he knows it yet," Rylee rolled her eyes, "If he keeps up like that, I may never tell him and just allow myself to fade. Better that than be locked away in some prison."

They fell silent and the Captain of the Guard led her to the most inner part of the city, the area furthest away from the massive terraces and the weeping gardens that overlooked the bay. There were fewer and fewer homes, and more and more shops. There were bakeries, jewelers, and merchants lining the streets. Finally they passed the training fields and the city guard barracks, smiths, stables, and a beautiful Armory and Forge, which Rylee could not help but ogle. Still they continued a ways past it to a small road that lead into a small forested area that nestled right up against the wall of the mountains that secured and hid the city. It was enchanting, the forest, the flowers, and a creek that ran through the area. It was a place of wilderness tucked away within a prim and proper town. Rylee's breath was taken away.

A clearing opened up into a large lot, it contained ponds, waterfalls, a rolling field of clover and grass, and an open stable for a large horse. The garden had wild flowers, lilac bushes, roses and honeysuckle, all of which grew predominately in the garden in no true rhyme or reason. In the farthest corner was tucked a small house made of stone, brick, and wood. A stone path led through to the wild gardens to the dark wooden door. Everything was carved with scroll work and the awnings and roof were pitched and covered in clay tiles. Over the door in Sindarin was written; 'House of Aulë.'

"Here you are Rúnyatári. You will find everything you need within, the house staff lives in the staff quarters at the back and will prepare a bath for you." The Captain of the Guard told her from atop his horse. "Lord Elrond will be holding dinner on the terrace at twilight, will you be attending?"

"Aye, I suppose I must," Rylee looked over at the face of the Elf who escorted her. He was looking at her with curiosity.

"I will collect you prior to, and escort you." He met her eyes and smiled with interest then nodded before moving off.

"When you do, please refrain from calling me by any titles. Elrond is Lord here, I will not upstage him in his own home," Rylee said as she slid off of Mikhaul and removed her bags, then she unraveled Mikhaul's braids and then left her to do her own thing since Mikhaul had her own cleaning rituals. "Do you see this Mikhaul? Do you think Elrond found my drawings? It has everything that I was designing."

Mikhaul moved off to the large pond and waterfall while Rylee carried her belongings up the steps. She opened the doors and swept inside. It was cozy and unpretentious. A living area took up most of the space with a small kitchen nook where an Elven woman was standing checking the cupboards and pantries making a list of supplies that would be needed.

"I hope Elrond informed you that the Daughter of Aulë cannot cook," Rylee said to the woman, with a half smile. The woman turned and gasped in horror at Rylee's appearance. Rylee's eyes widened in shock when she saw the pretty brunette standing before her, it was her maid from Gil-galad's pavilion. A woman Rylee was certain she would never see again, "Rohinna! You are here! I thought you would be lost to the dragons. I worried I would never see you again!"

Tears collected on the Elven woman's face, "My dear, Emitheral, I would always come to you when you needed. I would hug you, but you are absolutely covered in gore."

"I apologize for my unsightly appearance," Rylee said looking down at her blood spattered clothes. "We had a run in with Orcs. I was told that I would be able to bathe before dinner."

"It is already prepared, please come this way." Rohinna laughed at her, taking the arrows from her hand, and leading her away. "Let us get you cleaned off. I will get those clothes cleaned for you and we shall soak your whip in oil to get the dried bits out. It shall be just like the old days."

She followed the woman to the back of the house towards a spiraling staircase. The entire house was paved in large flat stones and the furniture was made of thick wood. There was a large fireplace in the main living area as well as another in the loft bedroom where she was led. The bath was tiled completely in bright blue stones and candles lit the room to the point where it glowed. There was indoor plumbing much like that of Bilbo's. Rylee was completely shocked. "He must have found my drawings, everything is here."

"No Emitheral," Rohinna said softly, "I found them and gave them to Gil-galad who gave them to Elrond along with all of your belongings. The only thing he did not build was the Forge."

"Well that is unfortunate but if I recall, the forge would have been larger than the house, so it really only makes sense to forgo it." Rylee chuckled softly. She started to strip out of her bloodied layers. "So all of my belongings are here?"

"Yes my dear, I have ensured that your favorites have remained in perfect shape. Not that dragon hide ever deteriorates. Which outfit would you like to wear for dinner?" Rohinna asked her as she took her whip to a large basin filled with oil and several other cleansers. The blood and gore started to flake away the moment the metal touched the liquid. Rylee stripped down to nothing, leaving everything in a pile on the floor.

"The black leggings with the blue half-dress jacket," Rylee said, immediately stating her favorite garments. She climbed into the tub and sank into the heated depths. She moaned in delight at the warm soothing waters. She sank deep within the water, submerging even her head. She scrubbed her face and ears while she was under, getting the dried and caking matter off of her flesh. As though by magic a basket of Rylee's favorite soaps and lotions appeared beside the bath. Rylee grinned up at Rohinna, "Always a magician, you know me almost as well as Mikhaul."

"Would you prefer the black tunic under-dress or the pale blue half-sleeve?" Rohinna returned the smile as she moved away towards the wardrobe.

"Pale blue," Rylee said as she used her soaps and scrubbed away the remains of the gore from her body. Finally rinsed and cleaned she rose from the tub, pulling her towel from a hook. By the time she left the bathroom her underclothes and outfit for the evening was laid out on the bed for her. It took her little time to dress and re-clip her hair. The remainder of her time, waiting for the Captain of the Guard to re-appear, was spent cleaning her weapons and securing them onto her body. "I remember you being quite good at subterfuge, you often kept Thranduil and Oropher off of my trail for weeks on end, while I was hiding just beyond the door."

"I never got along with Thranduil," Rohinna chuckled quietly, "Between myself and Kaia, we got you out of their clutches more times than I can even count. When did you meet them again?"

"I met them in Doriath, they were part of Thingol's household." Rylee said softly, remembering her arrival in the hidden woodland realm in Beleriand. "They just barely missed the sacking of Doriath by the Dwarves of Nogrod because of their desire for the Nauglamir. They went to the Mouths of Sirion when I went on my final Campaign against Glaurung with Turin. If I recall they were guests of Gil-galad, and remained in Gil-galad's regiment when the company marched north towards Angband."

"They must have had some sort of luck to escape such ends as they did, they could have easily been amongst the fallen in Doriath." Rohinna said quietly, "But then Galadriel was with them as well, with the sight and all, Celeborn ensured her safety the entire time. The flight from Beleriand was terrible, and seeing you fall from that dragon, Emitheral, I have never felt such fear."

"Yet here I am once again," Rylee assured Rohinna, taking her hands in her own. "If there was any other way, I would have taken it, but there was none. If there was a way to save Beleriand I would have done it, to save those lives. Do you know what happened to Fleet Took?"

"He went east with Galadriel after you died, he said he wanted to keep an eye on her. He used to tell the oddest stories about her," Rohinna giggled, thinking back about the small Elven male and his tall tales. "He told one once about how you and she went hunting and she fell into a massive mud puddle."

"Really?" Rylee smirked, knowing the truth about that story. She thought it amusing that even after six thousand years Galadriel's true nature was hidden beneath that pristine veneer. All that remained of their adventures were rumors that no one truly believed.

"Yes, there was another that he told where she would drink ale like a dwarf and have belching contests! He said that they got to the point where she couldn't even stop, they were so uncontrolled." Rohinna laughed again, Rylee's smirk turned into a smile, "Can you imagine Lady Galadriel burping?"

"I can imagine her doing many things, Rohinna," Rylee chuckled softly, "but then I have seen her in a much different light than most, with the exception of Celeborn that is. If you want to know the truth, you should just ask her."

"Oh, no! I could never do that!" Rohinna gasped at the idea of asking the Lady of Lothlorien such an uncouth question.

She left the house to wait outside. Rohinna waited with her. They talked about Rohinna's life and the things that she had done. She told her that she stayed in Gil-galad's employ until his passing and joined Elrond in Rivendell after the defeat of Sauron. She had not found her love, but she was kept quite busy keeping the gardens at the main house for Elrond.

Mikhaul was rolling contentedly in the clover and from the thoughts that were coming from the horse, that was where she was going to stay. Rylee laughed at the great mare and watched the Captain of the Guard ride up the road.

"I hope you don't mind riding double, Mikhaul has decided to take a vacation." Rylee told him.

The Elven male looked at the horse wildly rolling in the garden, a smile quirked his lips at the sight of the wild animal enjoying her home. He turned to look at a now clean Rylee and his eyes lit with interest and curiosity. "If it does not bother you Emitheral, then it will not bother me."

"What is your name, Captain?" Rylee asked as she approached his horse, looking up at him.

"Daeron, my lady," he smiled down at her offering her his hand.

"Well then, Daeron, we best be moving on," Rylee smiled up at him. She took his hand and pulled herself up on the back of his horse. It was then that Rylee suddenly became nervous, every word she spoke earlier, she regretted. Kili must hate her! The things she said about him! Oh, she was such an idiot.


	19. Double Billed

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**Oh! Mellyn nin! (My Friends) There are some Elvish phrases coming up I should tell you about:**

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**'Law lîn síla sui Ithil, - Your radiance shines like the moon**

Chapter 19

Double Billed

May 28

They were escorted towards a terrace that overlooked the valley, Elrond called it the dining pavilion. It just looked like a wide terrace to Kili, with more arches, and marble Elven statues, plants and greenery that grew up around them creating a natural beauty that could only be considered Elvish. They were seated at a low lying table on little pads for seats, and food was served to them. It all seemed to be light fare mostly consisting of a light salad, bread with vegetables wrapped inside, pudding cakes, and bread buns. There seemed to be nothing more substantial. There were Elves playing harps and horns and flutes, the tones were soft and muted. Everything in this place screamed of peace and quiet. Any noise seemed almost out of place. For the Dwarves it was uncomfortable to say the least.

"Try it, just a mouthful," Dori cajoled Ori into trying some spinach, lettuce and other greens.

"I don't like green food," Ori complained looking forlornly at his bowl of salad.

"Where's the meat?" Dwalin growled, picking up the greens in his bowl and looking for something hardier. He looked up to see Rylee enter silently on the arm of the tall dark haired Captain of the Guard. Dwalin could see the open admiration on the Elf's face as he looked down at Rylee as he escorted her towards the head table. She paused, and looked around at the Dwarves seated around the small table and her eyes fell immediately on Kili.

Kili looked up from his food and noticed an Elf girl playing on the harp who was making eyes at him while she played, so he winked back. Dwalin watched the color drain from Rylee's face, and an instant flash of pain as it crossed her face. How could the lad be so bloody daft, and not see Rylee standing right there? The stunning queen was hard to miss since every other Dwarf and Elf was staring at her. He shot a dark glare at Kili. Then he noticed the quiet exchange between Rylee and the Elf in the Elvish tongue.

Rylee watched Kili flirt with the elleth playing the harp and her heart broke, she felt it shatter, and she stopped in her tracks. The dark haired Elf maid was beautiful, even Daeron was eyeing her as they surveyed the room. Daeron bent over and whispered in her ear, "You can play that game as well as he, if you would wish it so."

"Daeron?" Rylee looked up at him not understanding his meaning.

"Rúnyatári, you eclipse every beauty in the room," Daeron whispered softly, with a small flirtatious smile. "Your heart belongs to him, but he must realize that such a treasure as yourself can be stolen."

"I will follow your lead Daeron." Rylee smiled as it dawned on her what he was thinking. He took her arm and led her further into the room, just in time to hear Kili make an utter fool of himself.

"Can't say I fancy elf maids myself," Kili said trying to cover up his blunder. He knew he shouldn't be flirting with the maid, especially since accepting Rylee's token. "Too thin. They're all high cheek bones and creamy skin and not enough facial hair for me." He paused and looked up at the only male musician around the table, and confided, "Though that one there is not bad."

"That is not an elf maid." Dwalin informed him quietly. There was a long moment before everyone started laughing as they surveyed the Elven male in question. Rylee's escort smirked in obvious amusement as they walked past.

"Funny," Kili said turning red at the jest. All of them knew that he was head over heels for the little dwarrowdam in their own company. For the third time that day he turned red in discomfort and shame, he was making an ass of himself. He was running on no sleep and it showed. Every time he opened his mouth it was to make a comment that Rylee took as an insult. This time he couldn't even laugh it off. Rylee passed quietly in front of him, smiling serenely up at the handsome Elf that escorted her to the main table. He looked up at Rylee, his intention was to apologize, but at the sight of her he fell speechless. Kili's eyes widened as he took in how she draped her hand over the Elf's arm, how the Elf's other hand covered hers possessively.

Her braids and mithril crown were glossy from being freshly washed and her hair fell in long curls down her back. She wore fitted black leggings, soft black slippers, and a pale blue short dress which hung to mid thigh. It had a square collar with half sleeves. Kili could see the Dwarvish embroidery around the hems and sleeves. Over top she wore a darker blue thigh length fitted sleeveless dress-jacket. It was embellished with the same pattern as the under dress, which Kili recognized as Rylee's personal motif. There was enough fabric around her hips and thighs to swirl around her but the upper part of her dress was form fitted, it clung to every inch of her body. Her black diamond rose was displayed overtop of her clothes, the gem glinting darkly in the light of the terrace. On her back she wore her axes and around her waist as always was her whip, shining brightly. Without the heavy layers the whip wrapped even tighter and longer around her torso, the entire effect made her lush form even more so. Kili was stunned. Durin blue looked beautiful on her.

"It is unfortunate that Dwarves put such stock in facial hair, Rúnyatári, for there has never been such a treasure in any race as bright as you are," Daeron said softly as they walked past. Rylee's serene smile turned into a genuine one. "They should beware or their most stunning jewel will be stolen out from under their noses."

"That is such poetic flattery, Captain," Rylee said with a grin, "If I were susceptible to such charms, I might allow you to be the thief."

"Now you've done it, lad!" Dwalin said glaring at Kili. Rylee met Dwalin's eyes and she gave him a wink as the tall dark haired ellon escorted her to her seat. He had to keep the grin off of his face as he realized that the tall elf was helping Rylee make Kili jealous. Looks were exchanged between both of the lower tables, Dwalin subtly signing to Fili what Rylee was up to. Fili grinned mischievously.

Fili looked at his brother and said openly, "She honors us and wears Durin colors, a sapphire of the clearest blue would be shamed beside Rylee tonight."

Rylee blushed and turned to meet Fili's gaze, she curtsied at the compliment and smiled warmly, the flash of white fire lit her sad grey eyes. "You put that Durin charm to good use, My Prince, your ancestor would be very proud."

"I only speak the truth, My Queen," Fili winked at her.

"My Lord Elrond," Daeron addressed his lord, before turning back to Rylee, "Rúnyatári, I thank you for allowing me the pleasure to escort you this evening. Your eyes shine as brightly as the stars. Varda has blessed you."

Daeron pulled out her chair for her, waited for her to move in front and carefully seated her. Rylee blushed at the compliment and smiled up at him, "Thank you, Daeron, you have been most kind."

"It was my pleasure. If you need anything else Emitheral, please, do not hesitate to ask," The tall dark haired Captain of the Guard bowed to her taking both of her hands in his own, he brushed his lips over her knuckles. Rylee smiled softly as he rose, released her hands and gave her a smile. He pointedly met Kili's eyes and turned to walk away. Kili fumed in rage. Rylee was his, he wore her token.

Fili could not believe his idiot brother. From the things he said to Rylee, to flirting with the Elf maiden, it was like Kili's brain was turned off. Fili tried to warn him that she was a War Maiden, that she was just like Grandmother Nisi, and that she would not appreciate being smothered. Did Kili listen at all? Of course not! Once again Rylee was obviously feeling hurt and was resorting to retaliation to get back at Kili. Watching Rylee flirt with the Elf was like watching well played battle strategy. She smiled sweetly the entire time. Her eyes gave everything away, but she still looked flattered when the Elf practically worshiped her at the head table. Kili was not only jealous, he was fuming.

Elrond greeted her with a wide knowing smile, "Well met, Emitheral. You look much refreshed, would you like some wine?"

"Only if it is Fire Wine, Lord Elrond, if you please." Rylee smiled as Thorin pulled her chair and helped her to sit.

"Emitheral if you start calling me My Lord, I will be forced to call you My Queen," Elrond admonished her softly, "We have never been so formal, so why start now?"

"As you wish, Elrond," Rylee smiled back at him, it was easy to slide back into being around him. She just felt disconcerted that his brother was not there to tease her, as a pair they were always out to torment her in some way, it was like suddenly acquiring a pair of younger brothers. Now that Elros was missing the loss seemed more real. She brushed the thoughts away and returned to the original subject, "Now, about that wine?"

"Of course, Lindir, Rylee will need some fire wine," Elrond smirked and looked slyly at Gandalf, "Bring out three bottles."

"Three, my lord Elrond?" The tall elf looked at Rylee with surprise, then back at Elrond.

"Aye, three will be perfect," Rylee grinned up at the Elven steward. "The first to honor the fallen, the second to praise the living, and the third is for me."

"Rylee, you honor me and my line, Durin blue suits you beautifully." Thorin said with a genuine smile. After their first arguments on this quest, Thorin knew better than to question either her ability or her readiness in battle. He still worried about her, he would be a heartless fool if he did not but seeing her blood covered and grinning atop Mikhaul reminded him that she was not only a well trained warrior, she was The War Maiden of The Valar. She deserved his respect, "You fight like a man and clean up like a lady. Never in all my years have I met such a perfect woman."

"Pshaw, I would be perfect if I knew how to cook, mend and sew." Rylee scoffed with a playful grin.

"No! That's why we have Bombur, Bofur, and Bifur!" Gloin called out. The company laughed at that, Rylee was mildly surprised. The fierce red head rarely included himself in her conversations, "Did you see her take out that Warg with her axes? Stunning display of strength, that was."

"What Warg?" Kili asked shocked, "I only saw her use her whip."

"That was nothing! Did you see what she did to that Orc?" Dwalin grinned at her, "nearly split him in half before she took his head."

"There was an Orc too?" Kili growled in frustration. He never saw any of this, he only saw her with her whip. "When did that happen?"

Kili's frustration grew. How was it that the entire company accepted Rylee as a warrior? They were Dwarves. They should be doting on her, hovering over her, and protecting her, like he had seen them do with every other dwarrowdam they ever encountered in the past. He knew they all cared for her, when she injured her feet they were all greatly concerned. So why didn't they even blink an eye when she dove headfirst into the battle? Even Thorin, who should be most concerned, seemed accepting of her recklessness. In fact he seemed proud!

"You missed her take out the archer as we arrived," Elrond shared as he looked over at the dwarves and smiled, "She stood on Mikhaul's back, launched herself axes first into his chest, narrowly missed the Morgul shaft strung on his bow, and drove her Axes into his heart. Then she took his place on the Warg and drove her axe through its skull. She is even more violent now than when we fought together in the First Age."

"I am not violent Elrond, I am efficient. I simply took the straightest route to get to the heart of the matter." Rylee grinned back at the Elf. He knew her as a warrior. The way they talked to each other told Kili that they were longtime friends. The Elf winked at him and turned away as Gandalf and Thorin brought out their new weapons. Lord Elrond took immediate interest in the swords and began to inspect the newly acquired weapons that they proffered for inspection.

Rylee looked down at her plate and was pleased to see the fresh greens. Growing up in Aman, she was used to a great variety of fresh foods and it was over a month since she last remembered having a salad. As she ate, she was only half listening to the conversations around her. She was amused as the entire Company purposely gave Kili as little information about her part in the battle as possible, while he was becoming more and more frustrated about not seeing her use her axes.

"This is Orcrist, the Goblin Cleaver," Elrond said reading the runes engraved into the metal of the beautiful sword. "They were forged in the First Age in the West-."

A frown crossed Rylee's brow as her mind returned to the conversation at her own table. Rylee looked at the curved sword, her eyes widened as she took in the familiar blade and she interrupted, "It cannot be. May I see those?"

"Do you know these weapons Rylee?" Thorin asked her, meeting her gaze as he handed her Orcrist. She took it gingerly in her hands, her fingers brushing lovingly over the ridges in the handle which was some sort of bone and pulled the blade from its scabbard.

"Aye I do, they may have been made in the First Age and in the West, Elrond, but these, these were forged by my hand. This is Orcrist; Tooth of the Dragon. Flexible and strong, it will remain forever sharp. Dragon's tooth handle no weld marks, the flow in metal is flawless." Rylee told him with a sly smile. Rylee handed Orcrist back to Thorin, he smiled at her fondly. "There was a long dagger that accompanied it. I made them during my first life before Gondolin fell."

"But the engravings are Elvish," Elrond looked at her in surprise, his brow furrowed.

"Aye, the swords were gifts for Ecthelion and Turgon for the Goblin Wars. It only made sense to use Elvish runes as they were Elves. One of the benefits to being raised in Aman, I learned all of the languages." Rylee smiled at him. She took Glamdring into her hands and looked over the blade, checking to ensure that it too was in good condition, she held it before Gandalf as though in presentation, "This is Glamdring, the inscription reads, 'Turgon, King of Gondolin, wields has and holds the sword Glamdring. Foe of Morgoth's realm, Hammer of the Orcs.' I purposely wrote the runes in Sindarin, as a jest, I told him that Quenya was too pure a language to inscribe on a weapon of ruin. I forged these at the same time as I forged Gil-galad's war lance, Aeglos."

"So these are the weapons that won your friendship with Elorin?" Gandalf ask with a note of surprise.

"Ave, I thought they were lost when Gondolin fell," Rylee nodded and looked at her companions, "Orcrist was given to King Turgon after Ecthelion died killing Gothmog. Turgon carried both into the final battle, I saw him wearing them. How in the world did they end up in a troll horde?"

Gandalf took the great sword from her hands, reveling in the knowledge of his new acquisition. As she pulled her hand away something in her mind tugged her hard and she was drawn away from the table and out of her mind. She could picture the weapons clear as day. Two swords, a pair of matching blades for a skilled swordsman, the only discernible difference was in the white and black bone hilts, a pair of long daggers, fighting blades for someone small and slight. Two long swords, both made of welded, layered, and folded iron, both double edged with red mithril. There the similarities ended, one had the hilt and pommel of dragon scale, the handle was a dragon claw wrapped in blue leather. The other had a hilt and pommel made of carved ebony, encrusted with black diamonds and shimmering sapphires. The handle was seamless black werewolf bone, wrapped in blue dragon leather. There was more, so much more that flashed through her mind. Everything cataloged away for later. The world spun for a second and she came back to herself. Thorin had his hand on her shoulder to keep her from falling out of her seat.

"Are you alright?" Thorin asked her his face concerned, having seen the lass' eyes completely fall unfocussed, rolling back into her head for a long moment, and her body start to slump. Both Gandalf and Elrond looked on in concern.

"Aye, it was just a moment of divine inspiration. I just need a forge." Rylee said, somewhat out of breath. "How long will we be staying Thorin?"

"I have not yet decided, why?" Thorin asked her quietly.

"Because inspiration doesn't hit me like that very often, and I might well be in the Forge for several days, if my vision was correct, at least a week." Rylee whispered, her voice weak from the sudden influx of power. The three males exchanged worried looks.

"The magic calls doesn't it?" Thorin asked whispering back to her. She just nodded in response. She needed to spend a week doing something that would weaken her, in a place where he was certain that they would not be welcome. He sighed softly, he would give her as much time as he could possibly afford for her, "Is it part of your quest?"

"Yes," She whispered as she nodded once. Their conversation ended there as Lindir returned then with three bottles of wine, the first of which was already opened. He placed all three on the table before her. "Thank you Lindir."

"My Queen," He bowed slightly and stood back against the wall. He watched Rúnyatári with interest and curiosity.

"I honor those who fell in battle, those who died in my name, and those who shall no longer dance in the halls of the living." Rylee said as she lifted the bottle up, a quiet toast to the fallen. She took the bottle and began to drink. Thorin watched as she guzzled the entire bottle, not a drop wasted, and placed the empty bottle on the table. As she did she released a deep low belch, long and loud. It echoed and reverberated over the terrace for a moment before finally fading. Laughter and cheers fell over the two lower tables as they watched the antics at the larger table.

"There it is!" Dwalin drawled looking over at his brother, "I told you her Dwarf side would show up eventually."

Thorin's eyebrow rose in surprise and Rylee giggled girlishly, "What? I am a Dwarf after all, or at least mostly a Dwarf."

"I never thought that was even in question," Elrond deadpanned, looking Rylee in the eye, making her laugh. Elrond smirked and his eyebrow rose, then he quipped sardonically, "Durin would be proud, Rylee, that was well brought up."

"Yes, well, he was the one to introduce me to the joys of drinking," Rylee responded cheekily, a smirk played about her lips.

"Looks like he did a fine job, lass," Bofur grinned at her making the others laugh. The only one not laughing was Kili, who smiled weakly.

"That was even bigger than mine when we were in the Shire," Ori said his eyes wide as he looked up at Rylee in amazement.

"That was nothing! I have a friend who can out do even me and I won a burping contest against Durin," Rylee grinned thinking about her dear friend.

"I have heard about you two and your antics," Elrond chuckled, Celeborn told him about the contests his wife had with Rylee back in the First Age. According to him, the pair were quite formidable when it came to outshining their Dwarf friends. "Celeborn has told me a few stories that I am completely confounded by. It just does not seem within her nature to do such things."

"Yet it is in her nature, I called her Nerwen once as a joke and apparently her mother called her the same name. Different reasons of course, but I thought it was amusing. Now that I have proven that I am truly a Dwarf, does anyone dare to share a glass of Fire Wine in a toast for the living?" She asked as she opened the next bottle and poured herself a glass. The wine was clear as crystal and bubbles ran up the sides of the glass. It was like water to Rylee. She loved the taste and the feel of the wine.

All of the dwarves nodded positively and Rylee chuckled quietly to herself. Thorin met her eyes and found a mischievous twinkle within them. Fire Wine was the most potent of Elven wines. Thorin had it once, long ago. It went down sweet and smooth, but once the aftertaste of fresh berries presented itself the wine began to burn leaving a trail of fire through the mouth, throat, and belly. Elrond only took a small amount, as did Gandalf, Thorin followed suit and wondered what the cheeky lass was up to. The bottle was passed around and Thorin watched in amusement as only Balin, Dwalin, Dori, Oin and Gloin refrained from filling their glasses. Once all the glasses were lifted, Rylee raised hers in a toast.

"To my friends, to the dwarves, elves, men, and hobbits that grace these halls, to those that live on in the dance we call life. Valar blessed, we all live in a state of love and grace, as we go forth to battle each new day with fierce honor and bravery!" Rylee drank, the others followed suit each taking a deep sip from their glasses.

There was a moment of appreciation for the sweet smooth wine, and then their throats caught fire. All but the head table and the elders were holding their chests and throats in agony. Only Kili and Fili made any attempt to drink the remainder of their glass. Rylee laughed and opened the third bottle. Thorin chuckled, "Cheers, Rylee. I take it this is redemption for the spiders?"

"Nay Thorin," Rylee grinned and took a sip from her last bottle. "I just wanted to hear their reaction to my favorite wine."

"Don't you think you should slow it down, Rylee?" Thorin asked her with concern. Regular Elven wine was potent, but Fire Wine was doubly so, if she kept drinking like she was he was afraid she would be quite ill come the morning.

"Do not worry Ugshar," Rylee chuckled softly meeting his gaze. It would take the average dwarf two bottles of fire wine to get completely drunk, elves it took four. "It takes around six bottles of Fire Wine to get me drunk, and I only ever drink three bottles. Tonight it will be less, since I shared."

Elrond looked at the Dwarven pair for a long moment, he wondered at their relationship. Thorin seemed to dote on her, as though he cared for her. She did wear a new braid, similar to the one from Durin, he wondered what it meant. He brushed it off and looked at Gandalf bringing the conversation back to the swords they found on the road, "So, how did you come by those blades? What is this about a Troll horde?"

"We came across a trio of Trolls as we travelled the Great East Road," Gandalf told him seriously. "Shortly before we were ambushed by Orcs."

"And what were you doing on the Great East Road?" Elrond asked curiously. The atmosphere at the table became tense as no one answered. Thorin felt certain that an inquisition was about to begin, and he really was not interested in having to defend his quest to reclaim his homeland. He definitely didn't want to defend himself to an Elf of all people.

"Going East of course," Rylee quipped trying to lighten the mood, making Thorin smirk, her eyes sparkling. Elrond just shook his head in amusement, looking at Gandalf for further explanation.

"Excuse me, my dear, I just need to walk for a moment," Thorin excused himself from the table. He moved to the other side of the terrace overlooking the bay, distancing himself from the others. He just needed some space, but he was not fool enough to go overly far.

Rylee watched him go, she was saddened for him. His trust in the Elves was broken long ago and she wondered if there was a way for her to help him find it again. There was some banter at the far table as the dwarves discussed the slow tempo music that was being played. Rylee tried not to laugh. They were about to get rowdy, and she knew that once the dwarves started, there would be no stopping them. She leaned over to Elrond and whispered, "My friend, your Durin guests are about to wreak havoc on your terrace. At this rate we will not see the second course to our meal."

"Patience never was a trait of Dwarves. If they are anything like Durin we will need some sort of diversion before it gets out of hand," Elrond whispered in return.

"Do you have such a diversion?" Rylee asked her eyebrows rising in curiosity.

"I may have arranged something," Elrond smirked at her, a cheeky twinkle graced his eyes and she wondered what the Elf Lord was up to.

Kili watched her chat amiably with their host, frustration and anger filled him. Leaving him behind in the courtyard, flirting with the Captain of the Guard, and now cozying up to their host, Rylee seemed determined to ignore him. She looked so calm and relaxed, sipping her wine out of her bottle, completely unaffected by the burning berry aftertaste that had his throat on fire. He took it as a challenge. If she could drink the Fire Wine like water then he would too.

"Ah, there's only one thing for it," Bofur said as he rose from the table, stepping onto a small pedestal sitting between the two small tables.

_There's an inn, there's an inn_

_There's a merry old inn_

_Beneath an old grey hill,_

_There they brew a beer so brown _

_That the man in the moon himself came down,_

_And there did drink his fill_

Bilbo nearly preened when Bofur started to sing the song that he wrote and was one of the first to start singing along. The glint in Elrond's eyes brightened as the Dwarves started to sing along, tossing food at each other. His face remained impartial and stoic and he shot Lindir a concerned look. Rylee's lips curled up in a devilish smile, whatever Elrond had planned, the Elves that were in attendance did not know about it.

_Oh the Ostler has a tipsy cat_

_That plays a five string fiddle;_

_And up and down he runs his bow_

_Now squeaking high, now purring low,_

_Now sawing in the middle_

More food was thrown and Elrond smirked knowingly at Rylee. It was only going to get worse if something was not done quickly, as it was there were pudding cakes, breads, and salad flying around the terrace. Even Thorin was tapping his feet along with Bofur's song, unable to contain his mirth at such a jovial scene. There was just something uncontainable about Durin's Folk.

_So the cat and the fiddle_

_Played hey-diddle-diddle_

_A jig that would wake the dead_

_He squeaked and sawed and quickened the tune_

_While the landlord shook the man in the moon:_

_It's after three he said!_

As soon as Bofur finished his rendition of Bilbo's song Rylee was ready to make her escape. She rose from the table and was about to turn for the exit when she heard something coming at her, she ducked away as a cake hit the wall in the exact spot she would have stood. She didn't need to turn around to know that Kili was the one to throw it. It came from his spot at the low table. She pulled in an annoyed breath, ready to let him have it when she heard a familiar step, the heavy tread of a very tall Dwarven-Elf.

"An axe is not a weapon for a Queen!" His familiar voice roared from across the terrace and everyone froze and turned to look at Rylee. Rylee stiffened in a rush of intense emotion. Everything about her slowed and she could hear the beat of her heart as her breath left her in a surprised gasp. Her heart raced in anticipation. Happy tears pricked her eyes, and she tried her best not to cry. Her hands rose to cover her face as tears filled her eyes. She blinked them away as pure joy filled her. She was certain that Elorin and Elihara were lost to the destruction of Beleriand, but they were alive. They were Alive!

Rylee didn't turn toward the stranger and from where he was standing Thorin could not see the expression on Rylee's face, he only saw the tension in her body. He was ready to pull his sword. His hand was stilled when he saw both Gandalf and Elrond started to smile at the exchange, they seemed to know exactly what was coming. Thorin wondered what was up. The tension on the terrace rose, some with anger at the obvious insult and others with the knowledge of a heartfelt reunion. The entire company froze and looked from Rylee to the massive man who made his entrance. He was much bigger than any elf they ever saw, but an elf he seemed to be, as he strode into the middle of the terrace holding onto a fiddle, "She should arm herself with her wit and do battle only in a dance."

"Then may my foes fall at my feet, for the only dancing I do is with my axe," Rylee retorted hotly a grin spreading across her face. It was always this way, the teasing, the taunting, only one of her dearest friends would ever dare to talk to her as he did. She turned to greet him and threw her arms out for a hug.

"Then put those axes to use and dance for us!" The massive elf roared as he approached the head table. He put the fiddle on the table, picked Rylee up and crushed her in a hard hug. He was tall with bright silvery blonde hair which he wore in a singular braid down his back and a long silver blond beard that easily held as many braids in it as Gloin's with black clasps. These braids were not Elf braids they were purely Dwarvish in appearance, with intricate knots and clasps. The fabric of his long red formal jacket was stretched across his breadth showcasing his massive arms, shoulders, wide chest, a narrow waist, and strong lean legs. He was very handsome, this Elf, any woman would easily fall under his spell. Kili stiffened in rage at seeing his One in another man's embrace, but Bifur's hand on his shoulder kept him seated.

Rylee's hands framed the handsome Elf's face in a loving caress, her eyes meeting his, "Fangon! Êl síla nan lû e-govaded vín!"

Kili was fuming, she was his. This Elf could not have her. There was too much familiarity between Rylee and the Elf. She was still in the embrace of the tall, handsome elf and neither seemed to be in any rush to let go. Kili wanted to run him through with his sword, only Bifur and Bofur were holding him in place, and his uncle Thorin was standing at his back whispering to him, "Calm down Kili, they are just friends. He wears marriage braids you fool."

"'Law lîn síla sui Ithil, Rúnyatári. Ages have passed since Ancalagon fell. We heard you came for Scatha, but when you did not visit, we feared that the Valar decided to keep you with them." The tall man said softly as Rylee smiled sadly and released his face. The tall elf stepped away and lifted the fiddle in his free hand, "I wrote you a song, would you like to hear it?"

"Aye, Elorin, I would!" Rylee said looking up at her old friend. She had not yet seen Elihara, but if Elorin was still in this world then it was possible that Elihara was too.

"Better yet, love, would you like to dance to it?" another softer, feminine voice approached from behind. Rylee spun from Elorin's embrace and rushed to hug the thin Elven female that approached. She was short and quite voluptuous for an elf, standing just inches over Rylee. Her black hair was a riot of unruly curls with Dwarven braids of marriage, motherhood and family gracing the thick curls. Her face was angular with bright eyes and soft lips, her ears were less pointed than the other Elves but still dainty. She too wore red, to match her husband. Beside the pair Rylee looked diminutive but still no less beautiful. It was like she filled in the perfect trio.

"Elihara! Mellon nin!" Rylee grinned as she was hauled into a group hug. "As long as I can dance with you my feet may never stop moving!"

"Ah, lass we have missed you so!" Elihara grinned down at her. "Come let's dance. Shall we show these blue bloods a thing or two of song and dance?"

"Aye!" Rylee grinned, looking up at them with a knowing smile. "Can you play me something fast? I want a driving beat, I want to move, really move."

"Well of course I can!" Elorin scoffed as though it should be completely obvious. "Try to keep up my dear!"

"Do you remember the steps, Rylee?" Elihara smiled back, pulling the swords from her back.

"Like I will ever forget!" Rylee said as a feral grin spread across her face. She grabbed both of her axes.

There were gasps from several of the elves on the terrace but Lord Elrond only motioned for them to step back. A small smile played around his mouth and there was a glimmer in his eyes. He wished his family could be present to see this spectacle, Ilúvatar knew that he told them of Rylee and her antics many times. Celebrian and Arwen especially would love to see this, but Arwen was visiting Lothlorien and Celebrian was in Aman. Both adored Elihara and were often told of how Rylee introduced her to Elorin. His sons Elladan and Elrohir were away on patrol along the borders, they were due back in a few days time.

The ladies moved away from the table into the center of the wide terrace and Elorin pulled on his bow. Rylee and Elihara bowed low holding their weapons off to their sides. The music started, quick and up tempo, jaunty music made to get people dancing. Rylee and Elihara began to dance. Their feet were moving in intricate steps along to the music and their weapons swinging in their hands. The sharp weapons caught the fading sun light as it hovered on the horizon, making them look like they were made of molten metal. The Dwarves started drumming to the tune of the fiddle and Elorin began to sing;

_"Ring Diddle Ring, There's a mighty Queen, Standing on a wire._

_Ring a Ding, Ding, That Dwarven Queen, Will set the world afire!_

The pair of dancers sent each other a quick look and soon they were juggling their weapons into the air catching them with quick hands. Every movement was made in unison, dark haired elf-maid beside a small fiery dwarrowdam. Blades flashing, their every movement complemented each other. Elorin stomped his foot and sawed on his bow. The rest of the Elves began to clap along, watching the spectacle in true fascination.

_Ding, Ding, Ding, Said the illustrious Queen, Sirs we must conspire._

_Ring Diddle Ring, That adventurous Queen, Goes to set the world afire._

She was whirling and twirling to the beat of the music, her axes were spinning and flying in her hands as she moved them with the music. Kili could not help but feel the joy as she kicked up her feet and danced, her short skirt moving fluidly with her body over her heavy stockings. He could see every step, every quick movement as she moved to the music. Every time she reached out to catch her weapons from the air, his breath caught in a moment of fear. He long forgot that they even argued about the Orc battle on the plains as he watched her dance, he was so caught up in the dangers of what she was doing now.

_Ring a Ding, Ding, for that Mithril Queen, Has set them up a pyre._

_Ding, Ding, Ding, Cause this Rylee Queen, Went and set the world afire._

There was no break between songs. Elorin jumped directly into the next one, changing the speed to a quicker one. If the dwarves thought the speed of the dance was reckless before, with the new song it became breakneck and wild. Both of the women kept up easily and Rylee began to laugh and sing along. It was a song she knew very well. Kili's ears perked, he loved to hear her sing, her voice was strong and melodious. It was a voice made for a Vala, singing a song that sounded lewd lecherous and highly inappropriate. Bofur started laughing at the spectacle.

_I have an axe, a merry little axe,_

_'Tis the only axe for me,_

_I love my axe, my merry little axe,_

_'Tis all the axe I need!_

_Watch my axe, my merry little axe,_

_I swing it straight and free_

_Feel my axe, my merry little axe,_

_I shall rock it into thee. _

Kili swallowed a gulp of wine as they sang and he watched Rylee's body as she moved to the music, she was moving so quickly, her movements were so fluid. He wondered if she realized how seductive some of her movements were. They stopped the swinging of their weapons and hooked arms, their weapons held up between them. Still moving their feet they matched step for step as they tapped their heels and toes to each others in a two person jig. Then they would break apart and move back together to complete the same sequence on the opposite side.

_I have this sword this merry little sword,_

_'Tis the only sword for me,_

_I love my sword, my merry little sword,_

_'Tis all the sword I need!_

_Watch my sword, my merry little sword,_

_I swing it straight and free,_

_Feel my sword, my merry little sword,_

_I shall prick it into thee._

Fili nudged Kili in the ribs as they heard the slight sexual innuendo in the song. Kili downed the rest of his glass, ignoring the feeling of euphoria that was starting to fill him. Then the song changed again. The women rushed at each other with fierce looks upon their faces. They roared a battle cry and began to crash the swords and axes together in time with the music, the metal on metal creating a great clashing sound that rang out like bells, punctuating the music. It was obviously choreographed to make it look like they were doing battle in time with the fiddle and the stomping of feet.

_Smash, crash, sword on axe_

_Fills them all with wonder_

_Bash, Flash, hear them crash,_

_Let them hear the thunder!_

Quick as a wink they moved away from each other still keeping time to the music. Kili watched in amazement as Rylee moved through the motions of the dance, wondering how or where she learned it. Suddenly the weapons were flying through the air and the entire audience, both Elves and Dwarves, gasped as the dancers began to toss the weapons at each other. They were juggling the weapons between them as though they were nothing at all! A single miscalculation could mean death or dismemberment for either woman. Fear spiked within Kili as he watched in awe, he was gripping his seat. He reached over and grabbed Bofur's half filled glass of Fire Wine and downed it, this time reveling in the feel of the burn in his throat.

_Your axe, my sword,_

_Your sword, my axe,_

_They flash they fly_

_Past your little eye_

_They dance as they go by _

_Your sword, my axe_

_Your axe, my sword_

_They spin they sigh_

_As they whisper by_

_Watch as they fly high_

_Higher and Higher_

_The world will conspire_

_To show your heart's desire_

_So Rylee Queen, Go set the world afire!_

The music stopped dead, the women caught their weapons and both dipped into a low bow, facing each other. Both of the women were glowing with a fine film of perspiration, panting heavily as they tried to catch their breath. The elves began to clap joyously and the dwarves hollered and hooted. Thorin watched from behind Fili and smiled a little at the thought of his conversation with Rylee in the rain. Even dancing was done in a way that was completely authentic to Rylee. To think she once said that any kind of dancing was useless and boring, he should have known to suggest adding weapons.

"Welcome to the dance of the Oddlings!" Elorin grinned at Rylee, and she began to laugh. Rylee was a hybrid while Elihara and Elorin were Elven-Dwarfs. During their time together they heard every slur possible, hybrid, Halfling and abominations were among the kindest. Ultimately the three bonded over their oddities and they became great friends. Elrond and Elros were always fond of the trio, in fact it was Elros who gave them the name Oddlings.

"Oddlings indeed! I should have known that they would be with you Elrond," Rylee turned to him and smiled fondly and then looked back at Elihara and Elorin, "They would not fit better anywhere else!"

"Well, I must say that you have won the evening with your spectacle, and thankfully saved my terrace from complete ruin." Lord Elrond said as he handed Rylee her bottle of wine. She took a deep drink, wetting her dried pallet. "These two have missed you at their forge Rylee and we all but forgot what a joy it is to watch you dance."

"Thank you Elrond, I have missed them as well, this was the most wondrous surprise," Rylee grinned up at Elrond. "Though I should have known that your distraction from the Durin legacy would be me."

"I knew that you of all people would be up to the challenge." He smiled in return, he was much too serious and Rylee loved it when he smiled. She wondered what had happened to make him so much more stoic than he used to be. "I should probably go see what Lindir had planned to do about the second course."

"That is likely a good idea Elrond," Rylee chuckled quietly, she watched Fili and Dwalin talking quietly together, and Elrond's eyes followed hers, "you know what Dwarves are like when they don't get their fill of meat.".

"Even after Ages have passed, they are still very much the same," Elrond agreed, he looked at the younger of the two Dwarves that Rylee was watching, and he was struck by a sense of recognition. Other than braid placement and an overall youthful attitude the Dwarf held an uncanny resemblance to Durin. "Odd, of all the reincarnations of Durin, I have never seen anyone quite so-."

"Unbelievable, isn't it?" Rylee nodded knowingly, "He is so much the same and yet so completely different. The humor and the cheek, that is there in spades, but Fili is so much wiser than Durin."

"We will speak when you have time Rylee, and I will contact Saruman as quickly as possible. I understand that time is of the essence. In the meantime I will do what I can to find the other information you are seeking," Elrond said before he bowed once and walked away from her. He knew that she would have no time to talk now that she was among her friends.

Thorin approached Rylee with an admiring smile, "Our dancing lessons with Nessa would have been much more fun if I had thought to add weapons. You dance beautifully."

"Thank you, Thorin! I learned that dancing adds grace during battle. I would have never known that if it had not been for a graceful slide to the left at a most vital moment. Come, you must meet my friends!" Rylee pulled him into a half hug and introduced him to the couple. Within minutes he found out that they were two of the people whose braids adorned her hair. Rylee was the one to set them up and that both of them were half Elf and half Dwarf. Their mixed blood surprised him greatly but he didn't let it show. Thorin knew that it was possible for Elves and Dwarves to mix but it was extremely rare and the children usually suffered for it. From what he had seen, Elorin and Elihara seemed to be wonderful people and for Rylee's sake he would look past the elf blood. After finding out that Thorin was a Weapons Smith, Elorin and Thorin separated from the group to talk trade.

Bilbo joined them then and Rylee introduced him to Elihara, "Bilbo Baggins, it is my honor to introduce you to Elihara. I met her in my third life when we were in the war camps of North Lindon."

"Mister Baggins, it is my pleasure. One of my daughters married a Hobbit, his name was Norwend Took. He came through from the Wilderlands in the year two thousand of this age. He was one of the last to make the journey to the Shire. He spoke of you Rylee, he said you rescued him from a pair of cave trolls that wanted his Hobbit hole." Elihara smiled at the memory. Rylee's mind swam with the image of the black haired hobbit.

"Elihara was he related to Fleet? This Norwend Took?" Rylee said as she tried to make sense of the images in her mind. Fleet Took was an Elf from the first age, how was it that a hobbit had his name?

"Why yes but didn't you already know that? I mean, you stayed with Fleet and Norwend when you were here for Scatha," Elihara told her softly. "He told us all about it when he journeyed through."

"I don't remember that life Elihara. I don't remember Scatha," Rylee said as her heart clenched in her chest.

"That is troubling," Elihara whispered softly. She took Rylee's hands in her own and looked her in the eye. Elihara noticed the sadness, anger, and frustration that seemed to flicker in waves across the little Dwarrowdam's face.

"My mother was Beladonna Took! You are my ancestor! How many children did you have in total?" Bilbo said as he tried to break the sudden rise in tension. His curiosity was in full force as he met his very own ancestor. Rylee freed her hands and stood to the side allowing Bilbo to take over the conversation. She watched the company as her mind tried in vain to assemble the flashes of images that fell like a puzzle through her mind. The dwarves were huddled close together on one side, the elves on the other. Kili was nowhere that she could see him and Rylee wondered where he went.

"We had two girls. Our eldest daughter joined the Dunedain, she has never married and according to her, she never intends to." Elihara grinned, and glanced at Rylee, "Her father would tell her tales of a wild Dwarf queen and she decided that she was going to remain free and discover the world, and become a weapons expert like Rúnyatári."

"Has she done so?" Rylee asked, her own curiosity sparking to life as she heard about Elihara's life and children.

"Oh, yes, she is one of their greatest weapons masters." Elihara said seriously. "Their secret weapon so to speak."

"What happened to Kendir?" Rylee asked quietly, she watched Elihara as a flash of pain passed over her face. Rylee didn't need to know more, she knew he was gone.

"He died in the war against Sauron," Elihara said softly meeting Rylee's eyes. Though Rylee never really got along with Kendir, Elihara's older brother was an honorable warrior.

Bilbo and the elf maid were deep in conversation, and Rylee stood beside them sipping on the fiery liquid contained in her bottle. Kili stood in the shadows watching her. He was feeling lightheaded from the drink after having finished all of the half filled glasses of wine on their tables. Kili stepped forward out of the shadows in front of Rylee wanting to talk to her. To explain. He needed to hear her say he was forgiven. She shot him a dark look, one filled with hurt, and turned back to her friends, resolutely shutting him out. Fili and Dwalin stepped in his path before he could move more than a foot. Both of them were glaring down at him.

"She is still angry with you, Kili, you didn't see her face when you were flirting with that elf maid. You hurt her again," Fili whispered, as he pulled him back and away. He could do nothing but stand back and watch as the others congratulated the dancers. "Though I did warn you, she would be insulted if you tried to hold her back."

Dwalin too stood beside him, nodding in agreement. "Let her be with her friends for now. Give her some space. You can find her tomorrow when her fury has cooled."

Kili watched helplessly as Rylee was once again approached by others and drawn into yet another conversation. Thorin left Elorin and joined them moments later, "She is a War Maiden Kili. Where other maids will run from battle, she will stand and fight. You will only hurt her if you try to stop her."

"It was not my intention to hold her back, I was just concerned seeing her covered in blood," Kili tried to explain his reasoning. "I only wanted to know she was alright, it did not come out the way I planned."

"Do you think it would come out better after drinking all of that wine?" Thorin chided him quietly, trying not to bring any attention to Kili's deteriorating sobriety.

Rylee watched Kili and Thorin for a moment, wondering what they were talking about. Every time Kili looked at her it was with a brooding scowl and she didn't want to fight with him anymore, perhaps if she gave him time to calm down. She was not happy that the little elleth was making eyes at him in the first place, for him to flirt back was heartbreaking. The insult to the elleth that followed was easily transferred to her as Rylee was as beardless as any Elf, her cheekbones as high, and her skin just as creamy. Kili said he preferred Dwarrowdams with beards. She just didn't know what to think of this, considering he accepted her token. Was he playing her like Thorin warned that he would?

"This world has been missing the joy that you bring to it Rylee Emitheral." Gandalf said as he approached Rylee for a moment and she hugged him tightly in thanks.

"I quite forgot what it was like to find release in the dance," Rylee told them all.

Bofur joined them then and swung her in a tuneless quickstep. "Ah lass, if only we had music, I would put those quick feet of yours to the test but all they have here are harps."

"You think that a quickstep cannot be played on a harp?" Rylee's brow quirked and a small smile lifted her lips as though in challenge.

"If it can be done, I have not yet heard it." Bofur smirked at her.

"Well master dwarf, take up your dancing shoes and ask Elihara to dance. I will show you some magic on a harp," Rylee said stalking off toward the stunned elleth sitting forlornly at her instrument. She looked up in bewilderment, as Rylee asked, "May I? I have a lesson to teach a Dwarf."

"Yes, your majesty," The girl said with surprise, standing up from her bench. Rylee took her seat and pulled the harp back against her shoulder. Rylee started slow, getting used to the sound and tuning of the instrument. Then she started to tap her heel on the floor, her fingers moved swiftly across the strings, plucking, pulling and strumming. Elorin moved closer, picked his fiddle back up, and joined in keeping time. Bofur pulled Elihara into his arms and they danced around the terrace, several of the elf maids created a train and began moving in time to the jaunty tune. The Elven harpist stood at Rylee's shoulder, watching her every move, tapping her foot in time to hers. As she played, Rylee quietly told the elleth how to pluck and stroke the strings to make a quicker tune without muddying the sound of the harp. She knew she didn't need to speak loudly and the Elf maid was listening intently to every word she said.

Gandalf laughed and clapped his hands watching the spectacle that always seemed to follow in Rylee's wake. Dwarves and Elves intermingled on the terrace, dancing along with the tune that Rylee was playing on the harp. Rylee looked into the shadows and noticed that Daeron was watching the scene unfold. She also noticed that his eyes kept returning to the young harpist. When the song ended Rylee lowered the harp and stood, the Elven harp player resumed her seat. She picked up where Rylee left off and grinned up at Rylee, "Thank you, Rúnyatári, for the lesson."

"What is your name, elleth?" Rylee asked softly.

"Lerain, my Lady." The Elf maid responded softly.

"You are very welcome Lerain," Rylee smiled at her and she stepped into the shadows and stood beside Daeron. She looked up at him, "Her name is Lerain. Do you play an instrument Daeron?"

He simply nodded and looked down at Rylee, an odd look in his eyes. Rylee just smiled in return, and whispered, "Play with her, make music with her, and most of all Daeron, follow your heart."

She walked away and a few moments later the trill of pan pipes joined the harp and the music played on. Rylee looked back and noticed that Lerain wore a beautiful flush on her pale cheeks and Daeron's lips were quirked up in a playful smirk. She didn't know how but she suddenly found herself in front of Kili, a very angry and somewhat drunk Kili.

"Do you want him Rylee? The tall Elf?" Kili sneered at her, his tone was hostile. She flinched at the sound of his anger. She could smell the wine on him, and saw him falter as he stepped forward.

"Does it matter, Kili? You have been flirting with elleths and insulting the ellons all evening," Rylee whispered hoarsely, trying in vain to keep her emotions in check, "You have made it clear that I am not your type."

"Then perhaps I should not have accepted this," Kili said as he moved to take off the cuff.

Rylee stopped his hand. Her fingers lovingly caressed the cuff on his wrist. She kept her eyes low so that he would not see the hurt or the tears in her eyes. Her voice was hoarse and she wasn't sure if he could hear her above the party behind them. "It is yours Kili. I made it for you. It can never and will never belong to anyone other than you."

She turned away, filled with regret, and blinked away the tears that threatened to fall. She should never have spoken in anger, she should never have let Daeron flirt with her, and she never should have given Kili her heart. If she hadn't, his rejection wouldn't hurt so much. She stepped back out into the light and within moments she was pulled into the dance by Bofur. He noticed the tears in her eyes, the pain that she was trying to hide and he smiled cheekily at her, determined to cheer her up.

"You are quite skilled with those fingers of yours Rylee, now if only you could learn to play your flute with as much skill." Bofur teased her.

"I only squeaked twice last time I played, you must admit I am getting better." Rylee grinned at him as he twirled her around the floor.

Bofur grinned back at her, "Aye, much better than the first time, you scared the birds from the trees."

"I was not that bad!" Rylee protested with a laugh. She was spun into Fili's arms and once again they were off dancing across the terrace.

"No you were much worse than bad Rylee," Fili teased her picking up the conversation, "It was like a cutter on glass."

Rylee had no choice but to laugh at that, it was the truth. Her flute playing was downright horrid. "I did warn him that I was better with strings."

"That you did Rylee," Fili smiled at her. He looked over at Kili who was watching Rylee with a hard frown on his face. He was clutching tight to the cuff at his wrist, as though it was a lifeline, his poor brother watching as his lady was being hauled around the dance floor. Fili grinned at him and spun Rylee again, purposely showing Kili what he was missing. She laughed as she came back into his arms and Fili grinned back, "You are a wonderful dancer. How many dances do you know?"

"Well Nessa taught me all of the court dances, but I learned these quick step dances from Elorin and Elihara in my third life. I forgot how much I missed it." Rylee said as they came around the turn, the music finally came to an end and she was swept into a hug from the pair of Armorers, who were awaiting her, "Thank you for the dance, Fili, but what I need right now is a -."

"Forge!" Elorin and Elihara finished her sentence in unison, making the trio laugh. Elihara handed her the half empty bottle of Fire Wine and Elorin hooked his large arm around her shoulders and told her conspiratorially, "Come this way my dear lady, we have just what you need!"

Gandalf stopped beside Kili and said, "Have you ever seen a maid do something as dangerous and as beautiful as what she has done tonight? Dancing with blades and bringing people together. It is an exceptional talent, don't you think?"

"It was spectacular," Kili agreed, still stunned by what he witnessed earlier in the evening, and now disheartened at what had just transpired between them. He heard the pain in her voice as she spoke to him and he knew that his actions were what hurt her. What didn't he know about the token she gave him? She was being escorted swiftly away by her Elf friends and he couldn't even go after her. "She surprises me at every turn. I never know what to think of her or what she will do next."

"And to think Elihara hated Rylee when they first met," Gandalf said softly, he was in a story type of mood, Kili could tell. Fili and Bofur came closer as did Ori and Nori. Bilbo joined them, wanting to hear a tale of his ancestors. Thorin was standing beside him with a smirk on his face.

"Rylee told me that she met Elorin in Gondolin during her first life. She took over his forge for an entire week when she needed to find clarity, keeping Elorin from his work for days. It drove him mad. He didn't understand why this little dwarrowdam shut him out of his own forge, until she came out with a gift for a king. I had no idea that the sword was Glamdring until this night. Elorin tried to find a singular flaw in its construction and he found none." Gandalf said as he told the story, "because of this a kinship developed between the Armorers which quickly developed into a deep friendship. During her second life she spent most of her time in Gondolin and a good portion of it in Elorin's forge."

"But what about Elihara?" Ori asked, his eyes bright with curiosity. Oin and Gloin moved closer to the group, Oin holding up his ear trumpet so he could hear the tale.

"During her third life it was still the same, Rylee still visited Elorin's forge as often as she could. Elihara was a milliner's daughter, who received an order for some work to be done for Elorin's mother. Elihara was not a milliner by trade. She much preferred to work with leather. She went by the Armory to drop off the order for Elorin's mother and she spied Elorin. She fell madly, hopelessly in love with him. He was her One. Only he never even knew she existed and she was certain that it was because of a small Dwarrowdam that was constantly coming and going from the Armory." Gandalf told them, a cheeky grin starting to cross his face, "One day, bright and early, Elihara walked down to the Armory with the hopes of finally meeting the handsome smith. Instead she crossed paths with a battle worn and weary Rylee, just back from a week at the front fighting the dragons. She was headed to the Armory to mend some links on her whip, I believe it was."

"Regardless, they ran into one another and an argument ensued. It escalated to the point that Elihara threw her sword at the dwarrowdam, and to her surprise, Rylee caught the sword out of the air. Rylee being the spitfire that she is threw it back, with the same result. Soon axes and swords were flying back and forth, neither one getting any closer to hitting the other. I had to step in and order them to stop their useless barrage. Finally they agreed to a draw, and sheathed their weapons." Gandalf told his enraptured audience, Ori's quill flying across the pages of his journal. "What neither of the lasses knew was that Elorin had witnessed the entire thing, from beginning to end, and had started to set their movements to music. The girls ended up talking, trying to work out their differences in a less violent fashion. After a few short minutes of discussion, Rylee was hauling Elihara over to the forge and introducing the pair to each other. All it took was for Elorin to look Elihara in the eyes and he was gone. Head over heels."

"So Rylee set them up and the trio started to learn that dance?" Fili laughed in disbelief. After seeing her in action over the past couple of hours he knew that only Rylee would be able to accomplish feats of such oddity. It also amused him to no end that his brother was jealous of a married man.

"Yes, Elihara and Elorin were married not long after, and during the next few months Rylee and I spent a great share of our time at the Armory, with Elrond and his twin Elros. They used to follow Rylee around wherever she went. They insisted on being her honor guard," Gandalf chuckled looking at his audience to see that Elrond had joined them. "I believe you used to pick on her something fierce."

"Rylee was absolutely fascinating," Elrond said with a small smile, "you must admit that she garnered a great deal of attention. I just wanted to see what would happen next."

"What happened next?" Fili couldn't help but ask.

"Oh, a great many things, Rylee had so many adventures during those five years she was with us. In the end I lost a very dear friend, and my father was able to slay the dragon." Elrond told them sadly.

Though Kili felt bad that Lord Elrond lost Rylee as his friend, he could not stop the relief that lifted the weight off of his shoulders. Elorin was married to Elihara, but considering the attention the little dwarrowdam seemed to attract from every male around her, he knew he had to do something and soon. "What was the whole point to that story, Gandalf?"

"She is wild and untamable Kili. To win her back, you must appreciate all of her, even the battle bred and rebellious side," Gandalf looked down at the dwarf, "Or the selfless one that rushes headlong into battle in defense of those she loves."

Gandalf walked away with Balin and Thorin, leaving the rest to look after him. Lord Elrond looked at Kili and said, "I think it was to tell you that Elorin isn't out to take your woman but there are others who will steal her out from under your nose given half the chance. You should claim her quick before someone else does."

Fili nudged his brother in the side as the elf walked away following after Gandalf, "Even the Elf is giving you advice."

Moments later several elves came out bearing a long table, within moments it was covered in cloth and then set with massive tureens of food. The scent of boar sausage, roasted potatoes, honey glazed root vegetables, fire seared corn and so much more. The Dwarves cheered at the sight of the spread laid out before them. Kili looked at it and walked away, making his way back to their quarters, the words of the Elf running through his head.


	20. Forging Ahead

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Chapter 20

Forging Ahead

May 28 – June 6

"So, mellon nin, what has you so twisted up that you need a forge?" Elihara asked her as they walked toward the Armory on the outskirts of the river city.

"Nothing," Rylee hedged, shaking off all thoughts of Kili and her overwhelming emotions for him. She took another swig of wine from the bottle, for a moment she wished for a keg of the fine wine, getting drunk seemed like a perfect occupation for someone in her state of mind. It was either that or a massive vat of Nienna's strawberry cream pie filling, no pie, just the filling. She answered with a half truth. "I was struck by Divine Inspiration. It was quite intense."

"Rylee you can lie to yourself, you cannot lie to me." Elihara said in a cajoling manner. She knew very well that the little dwarrowdam was not going to say a word as long as Elorin was nearby. She shot her husband a look and he nodded knowingly. "Elorin, would you be as kind as to make Rylee her tea? I think a cleansing tea is in order, since she just came in off the trail."

"Hint taken, ladies only," He said as he headed towards the house, "I will also prepare a platter of food for your internment in the Armory."

"So? Elorin is gone, you start talking, little miss War Maiden," Elihara looked at Rylee as they stepped into the immaculate smith shop. Rylee chugged the remainder of her wine and set the bottle near the door. "Tell me what has gotten you all worked up."

"Kili," Rylee moaned sadly as she dropped her head into her hands.

"Kili? What is-?" Rylee shook her head and Elihara reared back in surprise, "Who is Kili?"

"Tall dwarf, dark eyes, dark hair held in a dark clasp, blue grey tunic, young, and devilishly handsome," Rylee sighed as she shook his image out of her mind. She was thinking about him all too much lately and it was messing with her focus. Everything she did lately centered on him, even her dreams were beginning to focus on her fear of losing him. She needed to make something in order to find her purpose again.

"Ah! The one who looked ready to tear Elorin apart for hugging you?" Elihara asked. Then she recalled the way Rylee kept shooting him glances during their dance. There was a fiery white sparkle lighting the little dwarrowdam's deep grey eyes, and the realization hit her with force, "Oh, Rylee! I never thought I would see the day! You like him!"

"What do I do, Elihara?" Rylee raised her head to look at her friend in desperation. "What if he doesn't feel the same? We argued today, it was horrible, I was atrocious, and the things he said at dinner! He was flirting with an elleth and Daeron was flirting with me. I feel so guilty for allowing it. Kili must hate me."

"I heard about that," Elihara chuckled recalling some of the things the servers were saying about their Dwarven guests, young Kili in particular. At Rylee's dark glance she sobered, "Sorry, not funny."

"He was going to return my token," Rylee whispered her heart breaking. "I told him to keep it. He doesn't know what it means."

Elihara stopped in her tracks and looked at Rylee in shock, "You gave him a token of affection? You? You – started a First Age courting ritual? You gave him a token and he doesn't realize that he carries your heart with him?"

"Aye! I love him and we had an all out screaming match in the main courtyard with witnesses! I said the most horrible things! Then he tells everyone that he prefers Dwarrowdams with more facial hair. Elihara, you and I are the only bloody beardless Dwarrowdams in existence!" Rylee said in frustration looking up at her friend with pleading eyes, tears threatened to fall. "How do I know if he even cares for me at all? It could just be lust. Mahal knows I would give in! I would do anything for Kili, and I am nothing to him."

"I highly doubt you are nothing to him, Rylee," Elihara said softly, trying to soothe her friend. "He reacted badly to seeing you covered head to toe in Orc and Warg blood. From what Lindir told me, he seemed quite worried about you."

"Even if by some miracle he did still give a damn about me, what am I supposed to do?" Rylee said scathingly. She started to pace the length of the shop, back and forth as she told her friend all of her deepest worries. "I have already died three times, well, I guess four times and the odds of me dying again are high. I don't want to hurt him, what if I have to fall into another volcano, or get killed slaying this dragon? I cannot bear the thought of hurting him like that. I – I love him too much to hurt him."

Elihara stepped in front of Rylee stopping her in her tracks. Never in all the years she had known Rylee had she ever come close to crying and yet here she was, her eyes glittering with moisture, her voice hoarse from trying to contain her emotion and her hands visibly shaking. She grabbed the smaller woman's hands in her own and admonished her, "Rylee, death could come to any one of us at any time. You know this! He carries your Heart. He is your One! You deserve to at least try. Live fully, give yourself the chance to love!"

Live fully, the same words Eru told her. Live fully, could he really have meant to embrace love and this family she found? Could it be as simple as finding kinship and joy within her life? Rylee met her eye and sighed, more to think about, "I will think on it."

"That is all I ask of you." Elihara smiled serenely at the little woman with the sad reflective visage, her heart clenched upon seeing it. Rylee was not made to look sad. She was so beautiful with a bright smile and a twinkle in her eye. This sadness did nothing for her friend. "So tell me what you are working on, will you need me to do anything?"

The spark came back into Rylee's eye as she thought about the work she was inspired to do. She grabbed her sketchbook and her quill, she began feverishly drawing out her plans. Page after page she drew and wrote her calculations, requirements, and supplies. On a loose sheet she started making a list of things that she would need Elihara to make for her, scabbards, sheaths, a satchel for arrows, and an assortment of leather pieces. She wrote down the dimensions on the paper and told Elihara of the plans. While Rylee was a spectacular Weapons Smith, she could not sew, however Elihara could. She was an excellent leather worker and was brilliant at making scabbards, holsters, and anything that a weapon might require.

"This is a lot of work Rylee, you will be in here for days! I will be busy for days!" Elihara looked at the large amount of work she had to do. "Are you certain you can do this?"

"I have to Elihara, it was divine inspiration. I have not been struck like that since I was in Aman." Rylee looked at her in earnest, her eyes wide with need, "It has to be done and quickly, I don't know how soon Thorin wants to leave, it must be done before then."

There was a long moment of silence as the two women looked at each other. Finally Rylee continued, "You know how these things work, once I close the door-."

"You won't come out until it is complete." Elihara sighed looking at the little weapon smith, she took the sheet of plans that she would need for the leatherwork and turned toward the door. "Just promise you will come up to the loft for food upon occasion. If not for us, then for Kili."

Rylee sighed, it would not do to worry the Dwarf. If a little Orc blood could set him off, seeing her after several days of starvation would be awful indeed. "I will try."

"I will have this done as quickly as I can. I will leave them by the door of the loft for when you need them." Elihara said with a sigh, at least she said she would try. It was more than she got out of her little friend every other time.

"Thank you Elihara," Rylee smiled softly, almost sadly, "Tell Elorin I am sorry for invading his forge. I may be in here for a week, at least. And tell Rohinna as well, I do not want her to worry."

* * *

May 29

A full day had passed, evening was once again settling over the serene valley of Rivendell. Kili thought surely that was more than enough time to allow Rylee to calm down and be willing to talk to him. Darkness was falling quickly as he made his way through the training fields that ran along the edge of the river city. He was told that she had a house beyond the Armory, but Thorin informed him earlier in the day that she was in the Forge at the Armory, not at her home. The Armory was placed further away from the other houses due to the noise that would come from within the shop. He approached the doors of the Armory with the intention of knocking. From inside he could feel the heat of the fires, and the voice of Rylee, the one that made the hairs of his arms stand on end. "No point in knocking lad, she will neither hear you nor let you in."

Kili looked up at the large man sitting on the stoop of his house enjoying a draw on his pipe. The strike of a hammer on metal made Kili jump. As much as he knew different, it was hard for him to believe that it was Rylee that was working the metal in that shop. Kili looked at the heavy wooden doors and the light that glowed out of the cracks. "I need to talk to her."

"I am not even allowed in and it's my shop." Elorin said with a half smile. "You are Kili, are you not?"

"I am." Kili said with more than a little hesitation. Over the course of the day he was reminded by the others exactly how embarrassing his antics the day before were. The entire company shared their views on his behavior and gave him advice on how to fix it. He looked up at the massive weapon smith, still not sure if he liked this man, this oversized Elf that was so familiar with his One.

"Do you feel it?" Elorin said as another spark of current ran through them as Rylee spoke from within the smith shop.

"Aye, it is her magic. Her voice does that sometimes when she is speaking, usually when she is impassioned," Kili said as he listened to the flow of her voice come from within, making the hair on his arms rise. "Do you remember her doing this when you knew her before?"

"I too have heard the power in her voice, but never to this extent." Elorin told him an odd look over his face. "It is some sort of magic. A very powerful magic."

"Powerful, enchanting and beautiful, her magic is different than that of other dwarves," Kili said looking up at the Elf. He thought about Rylee, her magic by the fire during their journey and also during the battle with the dragon. He didn't know if the Elf knew what kind of magic that Rylee did and he was not certain he should share that information. If Rylee wanted him to know she would tell him herself. She was unique, "but then Rylee is not a normal dwarrowdam. I mean she is the Daughter of Mahal."

"It would make sense that the Daughter of Mahal would have some of his magic," Elorin nodded looking at the door, with appreciation. He looked at Kili and pointed to the cuff on the dark haired dwarf's wrist, "It also explains why her work is better than that of any Elf, Dwarf or Man that I have ever seen. Her work supersedes even my own, and I am from both bloodlines and have had ages to perfect it."

"It is very beautiful, she is very skilled," Kili could not stop the admiration from coloring his opinion or his voice. He caressed the token on his wrist, its weight was becoming familiar and the feel of it as he touched it was soothing. "She is the most remarkable female I have ever met."

"Aye, you will not find another like her." Elorin agreed quietly watching Kili carefully, "Do you know what that there token means?"

"What?" Kili asked looking up warily, meeting the dark eyes of the Elven-Dwarf, "What does it mean?"

"It means she put her past, present, and future into it. A Dwarrow in the First Age only ever makes one token," Elorin narrowed his eyes at Kili, trying to get the young Dwarf to understand what he was trying to convey. "It was almost unheard of for a Dwarrowdam to give a token, it happened so rarely. With that piece, she offered you everything."

"You mean she gave me-," Kili whispered hoarsely, looking down at the cuff, he remembered being ready to take it off and hand it back to her.

"Everything," Elorin growled angrily, "She gave you everything, and when you moved to take it off you told her she was nothing. That she means nothing to you."

"No, I didn't. That was not my intention," Kili protested, his heart was in his throat. He shook his head and looked back at the door and listened to her impassioned voice. His voice became little more than a hoarse whisper when he continued, "I didn't know."

"You are lucky that she is smart enough to realize that you don't know our customs," Elorin told him softly, the anger in his voice easing a little. "She told you to keep it because she has only one heart to give and she chose you. For your sake and for Rylee's you had better find a way to fix this."

"That is my intention," He swore adamantly, in his heart Kili knew that he had to find a way to win her back.

"Have a good night, Kili." Elorin said as he made his way into the house.

Kili stayed where he was, staring at the Armory door, watching the light of the fires flicker through the cracks in the heavy wooden doors. There was a brief moment before the Armorer's wife came out the door at a quick jog.

"Oh, good, you didn't leave." The dark haired elf maiden said as she stopped in front of him. "It will be a few more days before she is done, Kili. She figured a week at least."

"A week!" Kili said looking longingly at the door. Six more days, could he wait that long? He needed to apologize, he needed to tell her. He just needed her. The last day without seeing her was hard enough, to know that he had another six to go, it was too much.

"Aye," Elihara said with a smile. "She is eating this time. I think it is because of you, she is fond of you."

"What do you mean, this time?" Kili asked her, his heart stopped, thinking that Rylee might actually starve herself was appalling.

"I mean what I said Kili," Elihara said motioning him to sit with her on the porch swing. He obliged and sat beside her on the padded seat. "When she is under inspiration, like she is, she works herself to the edge of her life. She usually does not stop to eat or sleep, nothing. It is like she is possessed by the need to create. At least that is how she described it once. This time it was Divine Inspiration it is more than a need, it is a drive to create, almost obsessively. She will not come out until her work is done."

"But you say she is eating this time?" Kili asked her, as he looked back at the door and listened to the sound of metal hitting metal. Her electric voice echoed out the door, making the hair on his arms rise, she was humming and singing again, in that ancient language that had no words.

"I have been leaving food for her, and this time she takes it," Elihara smiled at him, her dark eyes sparkling in the light of the growing moon. "I think it has to do with you."

"Why do you say that?" Kili asked hope rising in his heart. Did Rylee say something about him to this Elven woman?

"She worries that she might hurt you, so she keeps you at a distance," Elihara's eyes were soft and sad, "She keeps everyone at a distance, even Elorin and I. She does not want to risk us getting hurt by her and she fears getting hurt in return and we are just friends. For Rylee to fall in love, she is so far out of her element that what you have with her, it scares her. I really should not be telling you these things, it should come from her."

"Why are you telling me this?" Kili asked her, his suspicions rising. He thought of everything his Uncle ever told him about the duplicity of elves.

"Because I love her, I want her to be happy," Elihara said rising from her seat on the swing. She took Kili's hands in her own long thin ones. "I hope you will wait for her."

"May I stay here?" Kili asked quietly, listening to the sounds coming from the Armory. It meant that she was in there and that she was working on something wonderful, that she was alive.

"Yes Kili, stay as long as you need to." Elihara said as she turned to go back into the house.

Kili stood and went to the door of the Armory. He could feel the heat emanating from within and heard her voice sing softly along with the pounding of the hammer against the metal she was working. It was like listening to the most haunting melody. He could hear the love, devotion, and passion in her voice. He sat on the ground, his back against the door, and listened to her work and thought about all the things he wanted from his relationship with Rylee.

What did he want? Was it just lust? Or did he want more? Did he want a life with her? He remembered lying in the grass under the stars holding her in his arms and riding on horseback with her towards a forest for hunting. He tried to imagine introducing her to his mother, and watching her wearing a wedding gown. He would build her a forge of her own where they could work side by side. He would build her a home with a great hearth fire and a massive room for her to take luxurious baths. He could see her heavy with child, his child. Their children crawling into their bed for comfort and Rylee teaching them to read and write, and when they were older they would train them to be warriors, together. He could see her with grey in her hair and fine lines around her eyes.

He tried to imagine his life without her, the cold nights doing paperwork and going to court meetings with his brother and his uncle. Administering the needs of their people and dealing with ambassadors and dignitaries that had no understanding of their culture or laws. Doing patrols and coming back to his chambers with a low fire on the hearth. The empty one night encounters that left him feeling more frustrated than fulfilled. Life would be exactly like it was in Ered Luin. The thought brought him only dread and despair.

Over the past five weeks she had secured a place within his heart that he was certain that no one else would ever fill. If he let her go, he would lose that part of his heart and the rest of it would darken from decay. He knew if it came to it, he could live without her. But did he want to?

* * *

June 2

He went there daily, often stopping after practice in the training field just so he could listen to what was happening within. Often Thorin and Fili would join him and they would discuss whatever matters came up. Worry often lingered on Thorin's face as he heard and felt the magic, some days it was too much for him and he had to stay away. Sometimes Elorin and Elihara would sit with him, they would talk about Rylee, Kili would tell of the adventures they had so far, and they would do the same. For hours they would talk and listen for a change within the Armory, but still she worked on and on. Days passed slowly.

Every one of them was worried sick for the little dwarrowdam who locked herself inside. Elihara promised Kili that she was still coming up only for food upon occasion, even then she didn't see her, she only knew because the food would disappear from the plate where she put it.

"That is good news," Gandalf said with a smile.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Thorin asked worriedly, this news bothered him. A person could not go so many days without proper nourishment. Mahal never told him that she was wont to starve herself when working her magic. Rylee told him that she would need a week in the forge, so it was no real surprise to him when Kili would report that she was still working, but to hear that she might not be eating. It was almost too much. He could feel the tension rise between both of his nephews as they watched him. He looked at Kili expectantly for an explanation.

"Elihara told me that Rylee doesn't usually eat when she is under the throes of inspiration." Kili told them softly. The Dwarf-Elven woman and her husband were favorites among the dwarves, as they were a bright lively couple that seemed a little out of place among the other more demure elves. "Rylee told her that she was struck with divine inspiration this time."

"Why would she eat this time and not any other?" Gloin asked.

Elihara and Kili looked at each other for a moment before Kili answered, "She has a reason."

Dwalin nudged Balin and looked at Kili with a smirk. Elihara looked at the Company around her, including Bilbo and Gandalf, "I think she has fifteen reasons. She doesn't want any of you to worry about her."

"Make that eighteen," Kili said meeting her eye as Elorin pressed his ear to the Armory door, a worried expression on his face. "You two worry about her too, and Rohinna checks in several times a day."

"She might be eating, but she does not sleep," Elorin said glumly, as he tried the door latch for the eighteenth time that day. "Her singing never ceases, the patrols have noticed, and Daeron is on my case about getting her out of there. He has threatened to cut the door off its hinges. Lord Elrond had to tell him that this is Rylee's normal behavior."

Kili fumed, he had seen the tall dark haired guard captain lingering around. They had not come to blows yet but if the elf made one move on Rylee, Kili was going to put an arrow through his head and prove to all elves exactly how well a dwarf could shoot a bow.

"My hair is going silver," Thorin growled as he stalked away, "All due to my bloody god-daughter."

The company followed but Kili stayed, leaning against the door, listening to her singing. Just like that night by the camp fire, he could feel every emotion in her song. He was entranced by it, often stirred to great passion and energy, sometimes soothed, and calmed. He was surprised by the amount of positive feelings and emotions she used. It was as though each time her voice called out in darkness, there was light that followed, multiplied ten times. Kili just wished he could see her, hold her, and be with her.

* * *

June 5 - 6

Seven days passed, and Rylee still worked on and on. Elrond and Gandalf came by in the late afternoon with a tall wizard with white hair in white robes. They stood by the door and the white wizard tried using an incantation. A responding crash hit the door and sparks of electricity flashed through the cracks in the heavy wood.

"Well that answers your question Lord Elrond," The White Wizard said with a hard face. "Not even my magic can counter hers. She is not ready to come out."

"If you cannot counter her magic, how do you intend to lift the spell that locks her mind?" Gandalf asked him incredulously. "Surely Saruman, you must know how to counter her magic, you put the spell there in the first place."

"It was a simple healing spell, her magic intuitively countered mine, I had no idea that this would be the result," Saruman said sagely, "Placing that invocation nearly leveled me. To remove it, I will need you and Lord Elrond to be present. It would be better if Lady Galadriel was here as well, but it will take another week for her to arrive and from what you have told me, this needs to be reversed immediately."

"So you did contact her then?" Lord Elrond looked at Saruman in askance.

"Yes, she will arrive in just under a week." Saruman nodded looking at the door.

"Good, she will have a greater understanding of Rylee's titles, and what they might mean for her in this Age, if anything." Gandalf said with a pleased smile.

"It will be best if we catch Rylee as soon as she is finished in the forge." Saruman said with an almost sad and weary look on his face, Gandalf looked at him in surprise. "Even with the three of us, her power is immense, it will be best if she is as weak as possible."

"Won't that hurt her?" Kili asked stepping protectively in front of the door. He looked up at him and stated, "To do a spell on her when she is weak, it will do her harm."

"Who are you?" Saruman said looking down his nose at Kili.

"Her suitor, I wear her token," Kili said angrily, his hand moving to the hilt of his sword.

"Rylee offered a token? You are the chosen of Aulë?" Saruman's eyebrows rose in surprise as he looked down at the cuff on Kili's wrist and then his eyes narrowed as he surveyed Kili. He was assessing Kili as though Rylee meant something to him. As if he was a family member making certain that his sister's suitor lived up to his standards. "Aulë may favor you, Master Dwarf, but I warn you, I will hurt you, if you do anything to harm Rylee Emitheral."

"Who are you to threaten me?" Kili growled angrily slowly pulling his sword from its sheath. Thorin stepped up to his side and pushed the sword back, shaking his head at Kili.

"She is like a sister to me." Saruman said indignantly, wondering why he was defending himself to a Dwarf, a very young Dwarf. He looked over at Thorin and recognized him as the Dwarf who assisted in the raising and discipline of Rylee. One of the few people Rylee actually listened to. "I was there at her birth, I watched her grow into a strong warrior, and learned with her at the side of Aulë."

"Kili, he tells the truth, he looks different as a Wizard, but this is Curumo," Thorin interjected, trying to calm his nephew, "Rylee adored him, and looked up to him."

"How do I know you do not wish to harm her?" Kili asked ignoring Thorin. He didn't care that this was a very powerful wizard, he only cared that Rylee was not to be harmed.

"You don't, you will have to trust me," Saruman looked down at the young Dwarf standing protectively in front of the massive wooden doors. Then at Thorin, it was more important that Rylee's god-father understand the importance of their task. Saruman was certain that Thorin would explain to his company and this young Kili. "I would not willingly seek to harm her, which is why I need help to remove the spell, while she is in her weakest state. With her permission, of course, I am hoping that with a willing and open mind the three of us will be able to undo the damage that was done."

A watch was set at the doors of the forge, in teams of three, one person up in the loft, and the other two at the main doors. Kili was on watch with Daeron and Elorin, every hour they would switch places in order to sway boredom. Elorin was just headed into the loft while Kili was stuck at the main doors with Daeron. Both of them shooting glares at each other and saying nothing.

"You are not good enough for her," Daeron finally said shooting a glare at Kili.

"What in Durin's name are you on about?" Kili growled back at him, "You know nothing about me."

"Since the moment your Company arrived, you have done nothing to help her," Daeron said in frustration. "You just sit around and wait for her to come out on her own. If she was mine, I would go in there after her."

"That just shows how ignorant you are of Rylee," Kili said rolling his eyes in annoyance.

"I thought as Dwarves you were supposed to protect your Dwarrowdams, treat them like treasure," came the returning taunt from Daeron, it was like he was purposely trying to push Kili's buttons. "Not one of you has even tried to force the door, not one of you has knocked on it. How do you know she is even in there?"

"I can hear her, I can feel her, that is her magic! Can you not feel it?" Kili hollered in astonishment, "It is her voice that sings for hours of the love, rage, hate, and passion that she feels. It is her voice and her power that makes the hair on my arms rise."

"There is no way that the power I feel is Rylee Emitheral," Daeron sneered back.

"Then you are the fool not I," Kili snapped back, leaning against the door, listening to Rylee's voice rise and fall as she sang.

"It has been Eight days since she went into that forge," Daeron growled at Kili, an odd glint firing in his eyes, "I would have thought that of all the Dwarves, you would be the one fighting to get inside and pull her out."

"You don't think that I haven't thought about doing just that?" Kili yelled turning on Daeron. He stood toe to toe with the tall Elf Captain, "You think that I have not wanted to break in and beg her and plead with her to forgive me? These past eight nights have been pure torture for me. I fear for her, I worry about her. I know that she is strong and brave, and I know that she would fight until her last breath for what she believed was right. It kills me that she is so far out of my reach, and yet she is just beyond this blasted wooden door!"

"Then what is stopping you!" Daeron yelled back, fists clenched, that odd spark still glittering in his eyes.

"She is! I respect her too much to break her boundaries," Kili growled softly, his voice menacing, "In this state, she cannot hear you, she cannot see you. It is all about the magic and the creation. What you hear in her voice, that is the embodiment of Rylee, that is her soul. Gandalf told us that to pull her out of this state, it would kill her. I cannot live without her. To lose her, it would kill me."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Daeron asked his voice was soft, but his eyes were still glittering oddly, and Kili wondered what the hell was wrong with the Elf.

"It means I love her, she is my One," Kili said softly, it was little more than a whisper. It was the first time he said the words out loud. He discovered his true feelings while running from the Wargs, but he had not confessed out loud what was in his heart. Not even to Fili. He just couldn't. To say the words made them real.

"Good," Daeron grinned and stepped back, settling his back against the outer wall of the Armory. Kili blinked and looked over at the Elf in confusion. "She was jealous and hurt when you were flirting with the harpist, Lerain, I simply offered her a counter measure. Emitheral is only a friend unlike Lerain. She, I intend to court."

"So you do not have interest in Rylee?" Kili asked for clarification, he wanted to make sure that he was not hearing things or having some odd sort of dream.

"That is what I said, Dwarf," Daeron chuckled softly, "My concern for her is as a friend. She made it abundantly clear that she cares for you. Even when she was absolutely livid and speaking that filth, she still said that she cared for you. I figured you must be in love with her or you would not have made yourself such a fool."

"I am often a fool where Rylee is concerned." Kili snorted in frustration looking at the Elf. He was relieved that he was not after Rylee. "So Lerain, eh? Did you even know her before that evening?"

"No, so I suppose I have you and Emitheral to thank for the odd introduction," Daeron smiled as he looked up at the clear night sky. "I am told that Rylee set up Elorin and Elihara, she seems to be a matchmaker."

"Not intentionally, I am sure," Kili said softly, still leaning against the door. He looked up suddenly, "Do you hear that?"

"I hear nothing," Daeron said and met Kili's eyes. In unison their eyes widened as they realized that there was no sound coming from within the forge. Their eyes turned toward the door and they waited in anticipation.

"Daeron!" Elorin yelled from within, "Go wake Elrond and the others. Kili, wake the Company! Have them meet me in the Healing Halls."

The great doors swung open and Elorin emerged carrying Rylee's tiny frame in his arms. He was so massive that she looked even smaller than normal, Kili's eyes widened in shock at seeing her. Elorin held her in a way that Kili could not see her face. He could not see anything that could tell him how she was, if she was all right or if she was not. All he could see was that she was covered head to toe in black grime, even her dark flame hair was blackened to look like charcoal. Elorin didn't even stop, he just walked swiftly towards the Healing Halls across the training fields. Kili just barely noticed Elihara burst through the door of the attached house and run for the trail that led to the forest in the corner of Imladris, he didn't know where she was going, but she was moving quickly. Kili and Daeron shared a glance and both of them ran towards the Last Homely House, splitting only when they came to the sleeping quarters.

"Thorin!" Kili cried as he rounded the corner, "Thorin!"

"What is it? Is she out?" Thorin asked sitting up in his bedroll and looking at his nephew, sleep was suddenly far away from him as the news started to sink in.

"We must go to the Healing Halls." Kili gasped as he caught his breath. Kili didn't even wait for the others, he just turned and ran back the way he came. By the time he arrived back at the Healing Halls, Elorin was pacing outside of one of the larger rooms, a worried expression on his face. He kept looking at the door, a lost expression on his face.

"I have never seen her in such bad shape Kili," Elorin's voice came out as a harsh wavering gasp. The massive man brought low by his dear friend's condition. "She was eating this time. I didn't understand how she could seem worse than before, until I saw what she created. Kili there are enough weapons to outfit your entire company and then some."

Kili moved to the door and Elorin put his hand on his shoulder stopping him in his tracks. "You cannot go in there."

"But, Rylee-," Kili protested reaching for the door, it was agony, he needed to see her.

"He cannot, but I can, move out of my way," A small dark haired Elf maiden swept past them and pushed the door open.

"Lerain wait!" Daeron called as he slowed to a stop and watched the little elleth disappear from sight. He turned back to the surprised faces of the others. "She likes Runyatari, Rylee Emitheral made a great impression on her and Lerain wanted to be here when she came out. I swear she just wants to help."

Kili only got a glimpse of Rylee beyond the door and he nearly collapsed from the sight of her. They had her stripped naked, bathing her with cloths as she lay unmoving on a cloth covered bench. Her grey eyes met his for half a second, white sparks flared for a moment as Kili reached for her. Elorin held him back and the door closed. His hand touched the door and he leaned his head against the cold wood as he whispered, "Rylee. My Rylee."

"Kili, what is happening?" Thorin asked as he and the rest of the company crowded into the long corridor of the Healing Halls. Kili could only shake his head, unable to speak past the lump that settled in his throat. If he lost her, he could not imagine the world without her.

Elorin told them the same thing he told Kili, that she was in an agonizing state and that she was being tended to by Elihara, Rohinna and Lerain, the harpist. There were others as well, healers of the realm. Kili didn't care who was attending her as long as they could help Rylee. Surely the wizards could not work their spell on her when she was so near death.

It felt like hours before the door finally opened and Rohinna barred the door. She motioned for Saruman to enter the room, and within moments the healers filed out, carrying wash baskets filled with black stained cloths, clothing, and towels. Elihara, Rohinna, and Lerain followed them and Elihara stopped in front of Kili and the Company. "We explained Saruman's plan, I tried to convince Rylee to wait until she was stronger but Rylee is adamant that they do the magic now while she is at her weakest."

"Why? Why would she endanger herself like this?" Kili demanded, his voice rising in anger. How the hell was he supposed to support her, be there for her and comfort her, if she kept throwing herself into danger?

"She doesn't feel she is in danger," Rohinna whispered softly, meeting the dark eyes of the Durin Prince. "Rylee believes that she has nothing left to lose. I told her you still wear the token, even now that you know what it means but she will not relent."

Lerain looked up at Kili with those beguiling dark eyes, "She says that if you love her, you will trust her judgment. She said she must do this, it is part of her quest."

With that the ladies left the Healing Halls and went to wait together elsewhere away from the men. The anger and rage that Kili felt at that moment burned through him at a surprising speed. It was like the cap of a mountain spewing forth into volcanic stone and ash. The pain in his heart only fueled it onwards. He created this, his thoughtless words, his mistrust, his jealousy. He hurt her beyond measure and drove her to this possibly destructive end. Kili was ready to burst when Fili and Thorin each latched onto an arm and bodily hauled him onto the training field.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Fili said holding his brother back, when Kili tried to go around him to go back inside the Healing Halls.

"You didn't see her, Fili, she looks a fright! I have gone to hell. I am living in a state of hell. I am thankful she is finally out of the Forge, but she looks so weak and so void of life," Kili gasped as though in pain, his heart beat wildly in his chest. He needed to see her, to hold her, "Fili I have to talk to her."

"You must let them do their work," Thorin said standing next to his nephew, he put his hand on his shoulder. "Rylee feels they can help and we must trust her judgment."

"She was so weak Thorin, she could barely even blink. The look in her beautiful eyes-," Kili said remembering her lying naked and unmoving on the healers table, "she is still so hurt and angry."

"So talk to her," Fili advised him gently, "After she has had a chance to rest, eat and bathe, have Elihara or Rohinna summon you when she is more herself-."

"I don't care if she is covered with Orcs blood, soot or silk, she will always be beautiful. I just want to see her again," Kili growled impatiently.

"Sounds like you are quite smitten with the lass," Thorin said looking at his youngest nephew, wondering if the lad had finally figured out what Rylee meant to him. "What are you planning to do about it?"

"If she survives this and she would have me, if you would allow it, I would marry her." Kili said, there was nothing he was more sure of. He had eight days of agony to think about what he wanted. He wanted her. "I want nothing of courting, or fancy parties, or a massive feast. She is my One. I want only her, if she will have me."

"Indeed?" Thorin arched a brow at Kili. It was one thing to claim her as his One, but he was talking about bypassing courting to planning for the wedding. It would be the same as eloping in a way. Dis would be hurt when she found out. "What would your mother say about this?"

"We are on a quest, Uncle, a dangerous one, I would rather spend one day in Rylee's company knowing she was mine, than a thousand without her." Kili vowed his dark eyes flashing with a bit of defiance and more than a little hunger. "Mother would understand, besides if Rylee will allow it we could have a formal ceremony later, once the quests are complete."

"If she will have you," Fili said, meeting Thorin's eyes behind Kili's back. Both of them noticed the hurt in her eyes when she looked at Kili at the party, neither of them were certain that she would forgive him.

"Aye, first you must make amends and win her. Then we will discuss marriage. Come we have training to get to," Thorin nodded in agreement. He told the Company to start their training, since everyone was already awake. Then he pulled Fili and Kili off to the side. "I have arranged a meeting with the White Council in a fortnight, and then we shall see how much longer we will be welcome in the halls of Rivendell. That should be plenty of time for Rylee to rest up and then we will be back on the trail."

Thorin and Fili didn't give him a chance to think anymore, they pulled him onto the training field and he gave in to the rage and allowed his body to fight through the emotions that were threatening to tear him apart.

* * *

She was on the table, staring up at the ceiling of the Healing Halls, her friends and the healers worked to clean away the mess that covered her body. If she was a normal being of Middle-Earth, she would have been covered in blood, feces, urine, sweat and every other possible bodily fluid. But she was not like any other being. Her fire burned away the majority of the mess that would normally cover a body that has not had rest in over a week. She was blackened head to toe in soot and residue from the fire. He mouth tasted like she had dinner in the presence of a dragon, all she could taste was ash and brimstone.

Her muscles refused to move, and she could barely open her eyes. There was only one point that she looked out toward the door. When Lerain walked in and Rylee caught a glimpse of Kili, the worry and fear on his face caught her heart. She saw him move toward the door only to be held back by Elorin, then the door closed and he was gone. That one look of raw emotion decided her. She would do everything she could to fix this but first she had to fix herself and that meant getting her memories back.

They worked over her for quite some time, cleaning away the soot and the filth as the healers chanted and fed her some light broth to help her stomach accept food again. They checked her over from head to toe, examining her eyes and ears to ensure that no damage had been done to her sight or hearing. The Master Healer checked her eyes and began to make a list of all of the nutrients she would need to regain her strength before handing the list to Rohinna. Rylee had never met these healers before, but they all seemed to know of her.

"Well Runyatari, I have done what I can to heal your inner body, but I have been given a direct order not to allow you to be given anything that will increase your strength or energy." The Master Healer did not look happy at these words, in fact if Rylee could bet, she would say that the Healer was very much at odds with this order. "Elihara is going to explain what it is that Saruman has planned, it is entirely up to you if you wish to proceed with this harebrained scheme of theirs. If you decide to go through with it, I will do what I can to get you back to good health."

Rylee was so tired, she had so little energy to do much more than whisper, "All right."

The Master Healer left the room from a side door, Rylee knew that she would be selecting the ingredients needed to create teas, poultices, and remedies for after whatever Saruman planned to happen. The others were back at her side, lifting her and dressing her into soft silk gowns, Rylee knew immediately that they were of Elven make, they would be neither fire proof or protective. They were merely to give Rylee some covering while Saruman was in the room.

While they dressed her Elihara spoke, "Saruman has arrived, he wants to try to remove the incantation he used when you were here for Scatha. He said that your power is too immense at full strength and to heal your mind he must do the counterspell when you are at your weakest."

"All right," Rylee whispered again, she wanted this over with. She was as weak as she was when she returned home at twenty three.

"Rylee, I advise against this, it could kill you," Elihara told her with a worried look in her eyes.

"Must be done," Rylee's voice rose in determination, she met her friend's eyes, "Only way."

"The dwarves don't trust me and they don't like me much but they do love you, they worry. For their sake please don't do this, there has to be another way." Rohinna argued softly.

"I have to," Rylee said looking up at the ceiling.

"But what about Kili, you cannot do this to him," Elihara protested loudly, "he still wears your token. Elorin told him what it means and Kili still wears it. He has been hovering at the door to the Armory for days on end waiting for you. You cannot do this to him."

Rylee didn't know where the strength came from but she growled low in her throat and snapped back at her friends, "I must do this for myself. I am missing a part of me. Part of my quest is to find what I am missing. I am missing my memories, I am not whole. Kili and I are already at odds, if he loves me like you say he does then he will trust that I know my strengths. He will know that I can do this. If he cannot do that, then I have nothing to lose! Do I? Tell Saruman he can enter, I need to talk to him before we do this spell."

Lerain approached the table and took her hand, "My Lady, I know you don't really know me, but I have read every story of you and to meet you in person is an honor. I am certain that you know better than any of us what your limits are and I wish you luck. I hope you find what you are missing."

Rylee smiled and squeezed the elleth's hand. "I have been much weaker than this. Saruman knows my limits, he will not let me die."

The healers and her friends quickly cleaned the room and headed out, Saruman entered during their exodus. "I would say that I am happy to see you my dear Rylee Emitheral, but this reminds me too much of the state of your return home after Oromë found you near Angband."

"I am stronger now than I was then, Curumo." Rylee smiled reaching for his hand, he took hers and squeezed gently.

"How did it come to this, Rylee?" Saruman looked down at her with dark worried eyes. "I used the same spell as I always have to heal you and it nearly leveled me."

"But that spell is meant for a pure soul Curumo," Rylee whispered furrowing her brow, she closed her eyes for a long moment, before looking into his black eyes. They reminded her of Jovina's they both had such dark, all seeing eyes. "I have not had a pure soul since my first quest."

"What?" Curumo squeezed her hand in frustration and Rylee whimpered. He loosened his grip immediately, "I am sorry Rylee. How, when, why did no one think to tell me this? Why didn't you tell me this?"

"I was bitten by Ungoliant near the end of my first life. Her venom has tainted my soul, I can feel the darkness now," Rylee sighed and met his eyes, confessing one of her darkest secrets, "it has been seven years and I can still feel her venom eating away at my soul."

"If I had known, I would have used a different spell," Saruman vowed.

"There are no other spells you could have done Saruman," Rylee smiled softly, "that was the only one that ever worked. Why did you do it? Why did you try to heal me?"

"I had to," Saruman gripped her hand, his stoic face fell into one filled with sadness, "I could not let you die. You are like a sister to me, I could not let you die in my arms and do nothing."

"Oh Curumo, I die at the end of every quest," Rylee's eyes filled with tears as she looked up at him, "It is how my body is reset for my next life."

"They never told me this. I was not supposed to be your guide for Scatha. Alatar and Pallando were supposed to be there, but they were held up in the Far East, negotiating with the Men. They have been trying for centuries to keep the men of the East from falling into Sauron's hands." Saruman told her softly in his own confession. "Radagast was too far south, dealing with the Ents and the Entwives. Gandalf was in the west. I was the only one close by so you were sent to me. If only I had known."

"Why were you not supposed to be my guide?" Rylee asked, she had not seen him for seven years, and she knew that it had been much longer for him.

"Aulë told me that the nature of your quests was unlike anything I had been trained for." Saruman spat in frustration, "He told me that we were too close, that should harm come to you, I would act rashly and do more harm than good. It is hard to admit that he was right. I failed you Lukhdel."

"You did not fail me Curumo," Rylee smiled gently squeezing his hand in hers. "You could not have known. I have never told anyone everything that happened with Ungoliant, no one wants to admit such a weakness as I now have. If anyone is to blame, it is I who should have told you. Now, you think you can remove the spell?"

"With you as weak as you are, there is a chance," Saruman smiled softly, Rylee always did have a way of cheering him up. "It will be a counter-spell, because you have already been reset the injury itself will remain healed but you will feel pain of it as though it just happened. It is an unfortunate side effect but with the pain should bring back the memories that were sealed with the spell."

"So why do you need me to be weak?" she closed her eyes, feeling herself fading into sleep, fighting to remain awake.

Saruman looked at her for a long moment before he made a decision. She was exhausted, he could see her fighting to remain awake. He waited for her to open her eyes before he told her, "Your magic has grown stronger since you left Aman. You nearly destroyed us both when I invoked the original spell, and you were almost dead. I am hoping that if you remain accepting and open to the counter-spell then your magic will accept it as well."

"Let's do this then, so I can sleep." Rylee said with a yawn.

"You trust me to do this then?" Saruman asked her with surprise, he was certain that she would tell him that she would not allow it. "You will let me invoke the counter-spell?"

"You are my brother Curumo, of all people, I trust you," Rylee whispered softly.

"Oh little sister, I will get you through this, but you must stay awake," Saruman chuckled. She protested but fixed her eyes to a point on the ceiling and forced herself to remain conscious.

There was a flurry of activity in the room around her as Elrond, Gandalf and Radagast filed into the room. Saruman looked at Radagast in surprise, wondering how the Brown Wizard had made it so quickly when Lady Galadriel would still be a few more days. He could not stop the disappointment from coloring his voice, "Radagast, you made it."

"I was in the area, I came as soon as I heard," his voice quiet and jovial as always, "Yavanna would not have it any other way."


	21. Patience

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Chapter 21

Patience

June 6

She stared at the ceiling trying to clear her mind of all thought and her body of all tension. This was part of her quest. It all started with this. Hearing Kili's angry and frustrated cries from the training field reminded her why she was allowing this, even if they were distracting, she was not going to have anyone tell him to stop. He had to get through this as much as she needed her memories back. It was the only way that they could both move forward and forge a life, whether it would be together or apart. The raw emotion she saw on his face gave her hope, even if it was only a sliver, it told her that she had a chance to win him back. She just needed to find what was missing first.

Elrond's voice was soothing as he chanted in Sindarin, a spell invoking the protection of the Valar as Rylee made her journey through her memories. Radagast's voice joined his, opening the portal between the past and the present so that she could see clearly. Gandalf's voice was next as he started to unwind the threads that held her memories in chains. Saruman's was last to join, layering the invocation, it was the counter-spell, the one that he warned her would cause Rylee pain and unlock the memories she was protecting.

She felt the ripple around her as the portal was created and she felt a magic that was both foreign and familiar. It repelled and comforted her in the same instance, it was both home and a strange place, and the duality of the portal confused her. After taking a moment to feel it, she remembered why it was so familiar. It was the doorway between Middle-Earth and Aman. She only used this particular portal twice before.

She looked up and saw Irmo, standing tall before her, he was the one Vala that she never studied under and was told that she was not ready for his lessons yet. "It is time, Lukhdel, it is time to learn of the Path of Dreams, it is time to open the doors between past, present, and future."

Rylee's body jerked on the table, the pain seared into her left shoulder through her bones and deep into her lung. She cried out in agony and tears rolled down her face. Her breathing grew heavier, and she felt as though she was drowning from the inside out, her heart was both racing and stuttering as her mind was flooded with the emotional memories of the six months it took to destroy Scatha.

_She remembered meeting with Curumo in the year two thousand, she was excited and happy to see him after so long. It was like being back in Mahal's mansion, learning side by side as they swapped tales of their lives in Middle-Earth. Curumo told her of the history of the Second Age as well as the beginning of the Third Age. He told her of Sauron's wars and the battle of The Last Alliance. She even knew about the deaths of many of her comrades in that very battle. _

_Gil-galad commanded the army leading them towards the Black Gates, an army comprised of thousands upon thousands of Men and Elves, Durin IV led his Dwarven warriors from Khazad-Dum under the banner of Gil-galad. Amdir and Oropher became impatient and annoyed at having to follow Gil-galad's lead, and struck out at their enemy without sanction of their commander, leading to their doom on the plains of Dagorlad. This came as no surprise to Rylee, Oropher held no love for Gil-galad, or vise versa, both still bitterly disagreed on Oropher's manipulation of Rylee. Amdir though a bright, strong warrior and a great leader, he was impatient and idealistic, and came to his end with his army in the Dead Marshes. _

_When Oropher and his army fell, Thranduil was left to join the remainder of his people with Gil-galad's company. It was later after reaching Moria, that his wife and mother died. While Rylee remembered Thranduil's mother Nialiwen, and paid her respects for her, Saruman could not tell Rylee the name of Thranduil's wife. When Thranduil returned to the Greenwood, he could not bear to leave the forest, and never turned to look southward again. He cared only for his son and his own realm, deftly shutting out the rest of the world. Rylee momentarily felt pity for the Elf, understanding the devastation of losing everyone in battle. _

_Her knowledge of history was restored to her, leaving her with questions about what happened in the world since she left. She knew that Galadriel and Celeborn had a daughter and that Elrond married her, the fair Celebrian, and they had three children. She never met Celebrian, or the children, and it bothered Rylee that Elrond didn't mention them or introduce them when they were at dinner. She did notice the dark shadows in his eyes, and she wondered what had befallen them. Rylee could only assume the very worst, but she would not ask, she would let him tell her when he was ready._

_She remembered journeying north towards the Grey Mountains with Saruman and coming across an interesting little fellow in the foothills between the mountain ranges and the Northern Greenwood forest. He was hiding from a pair of cave trolls in the dead of night, the trolls could smell him and hear him taunting them, but they could not see him. Going against Saruman's advice, Rylee went in and helped the little odd creature to destroy the Trolls. _

_He was much like a man but much shorter, with overlarge, hair covered feet and slightly pointed ears. He was shorter even than Rylee, which surprised her. Usually only Dwarfs and Dwarrowdams were her height or shorter than she was. He had black hair and bright blue eyes, which sparkled with curiosity and adventure. He called himself Norwend Took and he told her that he and his many times great grandfather lived in a Hobbit hole nearby._

_With a name like Took, Rylee was certain that his Great Grandfather could only be one person. Fleet Took. She was correct. Norwend invited Rylee and Saruman to his home in the hills, and when they arrived, Rylee was given a very happy surprise. An Elf from Doriath. After the War of Wrath Fleet Took followed Galadriel to Lindon, then under the Flag of Gil-galad was involved in the War of the Last Alliance. After the war, he journeyed North through the Anduin Valley towards the Grey Mountains. _

_It was in Gladden Fields that he found a village of small people who dwelled underground in Smials. They called themselves Hobbits. There were three distinct clans within the valley, the Harfoots, the Stoors and the Falohides, with the Stoors being the most predominant of the families. Hobbits were a private people who stayed away from their larger human cousins, preferring the peace and privacy of their small way of life. Fleet, being oddly short for an Elf was welcomed by the people with open arms. He stayed with these little people for several months before meeting and falling in love with one of the tiny Halflings, Miribel Falohide. Fleet and Miribel raised four children, and lived fully and happily until his beautiful bride passed away at the ancient age of one hundred twenty three (twelvety three in Hobbit terms). After her passing, Fleet stayed with his family, unwilling to part from his children or grand children._

_When Rylee arrived Fleet and his many times great grandson were of the few of the remaining Hobbits that lived in the area. There was a large handful of Stoors that refused to leave their homes and journey West to join their kin, in a place called the Shire. Norwend was quite young, only thirty one at the time of her arrival, yet like his Great Grandfather, he had the spirit of adventure. During their stay, Rylee learned a great deal about Hobbits from the young Took and he taught her to play Hobbit games like Rocks and Riddles._

_Fleet knew that the adventure that Rylee was on would be too much of an adventure for his grandson, so he sent him forth to find the road to the Shire. Months passed without word from the young Hobbit, but during that time Rylee and Fleet were successful in finding the dragon pair's whereabouts and the warrior that was to help kill them. Five and a half months passed and finally Fleet received a happy missive from Elihara that Norwend had safely reached Rivendell and the Hobbit was quite taken with her daughter. They were soon to be married. _

_Days later, Rylee, Fleet, and Fram approached the mountain. Saruman was left in the encampment of Fram's men, she told him that it was likely that she would not come back and with their history she didn't want him to see her should she fall. Saruman did not like that Rylee was so accepting of this fate and followed silently behind them._

_"Unravel the ties of Silver and Gold. Gold will fall and Silver will scatter." This was her quest. It was just like her dream, they entered the mountain together, the three of them. Once inside, Rylee lit her fire while Fram moved up the right side, and Fleet moved to the left to be closer to the dragons and flank them so they could be subdued and destroyed. Nothing could prepare the trio for what was about to happen. Rylee subdued the Golden dragon with her fire whip, and Fram moved to attack, but little did they know that Scatha had planted a very dark thought into Fleet's mind. _

_Fleet was suddenly seeing Rylee as a Ringwraith, one of the undead kings of Men, who he remembered seeing during the War of the Last Alliance. Deep dark memories burned through the Elf's mind, eating away at his normally clear thoughts and it was not long before he completely succumbed to the sway of the dragon. He pulled Rylee's long dagger and drove it down through her left shoulder and into her lung. It was at very moment that Fram drove his long sword up into the soft jaw of the golden dragon, impaling Scatha's brain. _

_Fram ran to go after Esgaud, but the beast was too swift in his flight, he was unable to track him and came back into the cavern hold. Seeing Rylee on the ground he ran to get Saruman to help save Rylee. When the spell fell away, Fleet looked upon Rylee with horror and with shame, knowing that he was the reason for her demise. As Rylee lay drowning in her own blood, Fleet took her hand and whispered, "I have betrayed you, Emitheral. You were ever my fondest friend. I have dishonored myself, and dishonored you. Please forgive me."_

_"There is nothing to forgive, my dear friend, I saw my end days ago," Rylee looked into his deep blue eyes and whispered, "Eru Ilúvatar, please bless my friend Fleet Took, he deserves better than to be defiled by dragons."_

_"Only you would bless me after such betrayal, Emitheral," Fleet whispered softly, he pulled the dagger out of her shoulder, and plunged it into his own heart, unable to bear the shame of his actions. Rylee's tears fell as blood filled her lungs and she watched the life slip from her friend's beautiful eyes and his body fell across hers. Fram moved Fleet's body to the side and pulled the dagger from his chest. He placed it in Rylee's hand, clutching both the dagger and her hand together until Saruman arrived._

_Saruman, seeing her on the ground pushed Fram aside in his attempt to get to her, "No, dear child you cannot come to such an end. It is not right."_

_"My dear Curumo, do not fret, I will see you again, this is my purpose and I accept what I am." Rylee whispered in return, raising her hand to touch his face. "As long as there are dragons, I will return." _

_She began to slip away and Saruman, using a spell that he often incanted to heal her as a child, attempted to save her life. The darkness swelled against the bright light of the spell, threatening to tear her apart. In an effort to protect herself, Rylee's own magic flared against both the powers of light and dark. Knowing that her quest was complete, she knew it was time to die, she had untwined the dragons, and while Scatha fell, Esgaud fled. It was as her portend foretold. It was her end and not wanting to be saved, she allowed her magic to push back against that of both Saruman and Ungoliant. With the blood in her lungs she could not speak, so Saruman had no idea that Rylee was counteracting his spell until it was too late. The wounds on her body were healed, but the damage was done to her mind. The events of her most recent quest were locked up tight and her last memory was of falling from the back of Ancalagon._

With the last vestiges of her mental blockades wiped away, Rylee's tears flowed. She mourned the loss of her dear friend and the pain that his own forced betrayal had on him. She hoped that he found peace in Valinor, she hoped that Eru heard her prayer and accepted him. Of all people that Rylee knew, Fleet was deserving of a good and happy life. He deserved peace within the Timeless Halls.

Gandalf looked down at his friend and watched as the tears spilled from under her dark lashes. The spell worked, Rylee's magic only put up a minor resistance, mostly because she was so physically, emotionally, and spiritually weakened after spending an entire week in the Forge. He could see that the walls that were built around her memories were broken down. One by one they let their words fall away, releasing the spell that bound her. Gandalf's spell finished first, there were no more strings left to untwine, her memories were once again open. Holding those threads, he saw that life as she did and he too shed tears at the heartbreak that was within. Elrond spoke several simple strengthening spells. Her body was healed and she looked much better and healthier that she did when she arrived in Rivendell. The shadow that darkened her spirit was much lighter than it once was. He finally let his voice fade away.

Radagast tried to close the portal between past and present, but when he did the portal burst open and both Radagast and Saruman cried out in surprise. Their spells caught in their throats and they were silenced. Before them stepped Irmo, Vala of Dreams and Visions. "By the light of Ilúvatar and Manwë, I must speak to Rylee alone. Please, leave us, friends of the Child of the Valar."

All four looked upon Rylee's form, sleeping peacefully, in a pale green gown that skimmed her body. Saruman leaned forward and placed a kiss on her forehead, not wanting to leave Rylee but knowing that he had no choice. His lips quirked into a smile as the other three did the same on their way to the door.

Gandalf was the last to leave and he looked back at Irmo as the Valar stood at the head of her bed and placed his hand on her forehead, his thumb and forefinger touching the very spot that each one of them placed a kiss. He bowed to the Valar and closed the massive wooden door. When he turned, he was faced with a Company of Thirteen Dwarves. One hobbit and five Elves stood just beyond them, waiting for news of their friend. Nineteen very worried faces looked at them in question.

"Well?" Thorin asked softly, his baritone voice rumbling in his chest, "will she make it?"

"Yes Thorin, she is fine, she needs rest," Gandalf said softly. He was uncertain whether or not to tell Thorin that the Vala Irmo was in with her at that moment.

Saruman took that choice away with his next words, "Irmo, the Vala of Dreams and Visions is in with her now. He was given leave by Ilúvatar and Manwë to enter our portal from Lorien."

"Then we must wait for Rylee to come to us," Thorin said softly. The Vala of Dreams, Desires, and Visions was the one being that might help her to ease the troubles of her night terrors. He was also the one who opened up the Path of Dreams so that Thorin could visit Rylee as she grew. Thorin knew that this path was closed to Rylee, since she was neither Man nor Elf. Like Dwarves, this path had to be opened by the Vala, for her to use. "If I recall, he was the one Vala that she did not train with while in Aman. Perhaps it is time for his lesson."

"Well we should move from here," Gandalf advised them, indicating them to all move on. "We should leave Rylee to the capable hands of the Valar. Should she need us we will be near."

The company moved back outside. They already put in hours of training in the training fields and there was little left for them to do, they were all restless and worried about their War Maiden. It was decided that they should wander down into the valley and do some fishing and swimming in the main river outlet there. Fili looked back inside and at his brother, Kili was leaning against the wall opposite the door. "You coming, Kili?"

Kili only stared mournfully at the door, he cared only that Rylee was in there, he wanted only to be with her. "No, you go ahead. I want to be here when she comes out."

"Kili," Elorin addressed him directly, and Kili met his gaze. "She usually sleeps for the full day after being in the forge for a week. There is no reason for you to remain here while she slumbers. Rohinna and Elihara will send for you when she is awake. Or if you like you can help me in the forge since it is so close by."

* * *

"Now that you have your memories, do you understand what you have seen?" Irmo asked her quietly.

"I have learned that while I fulfilled my quests, none are truly successful, there is still loss." Rylee whispered hoarsely. He had woken her from her sleep, after having her memories returned she had passed out due to exhaustion, but he woke her again, "I knew that I would die by Fleet's hand, but I did not know that he would take his life in agony of it. If I had the star would it have changed the path? Is there a way to go back and change it all?"

"You have already rewritten the past, Rylee, would you like to see what you have accomplished?" Irmo asked her, his voice was always modulated, it was always a low soothing whisper. "This is what would have happened if we had not sent you on your quests."

He touched her forehead again and she saw the world, she saw it as Ilúvatar created it to be, beautiful, peaceful, wondrous. Then he invited the Valar, and from the first days Melkor's jealousy began to corrupt it. During Ainulindalë, Melkor's music created darkness within the ideal peace. The difference in the timeline was made clear with the coming of Glaurung. Turin fell victim to Glaurung's spell and the warrior was killed at Cabed-en-Aras. When Thingol died at the hands of the Dwarves of Nogrod, Melian fled withdrawing her protective girdle. Soon after, Gaurung struck Doriath and the woodland realm fell, with all of her inhabitants. Rylee saw the deaths of most of her friends, Fleet, Jovina, Galadriel, and Durin. All of them gone along with Oropher and Thranduil. The Dragon in Gondolin was the same, Elorin, Tuor, and his son Eärendil fell to the Dragons and Balrogs. With Earendil dead there was no hero to kill Ancalagon. With no one to summon the Valar, Morgoth and his minions reigned terror on Middle-Earth, the losses were catastrophic. Scatha, Esgaud, and Smaug were nothing in the scheme of what Ancalagon would have wrought. Rylee was horrified by the slightest possibility of such a fate on Middle-Earth.

"How is it possible that my creation would change Arda that much?" Rylee asked feeling quite skeptical of what she had seen. "I am just a girl, just a War Maiden of the Valar. I have no great power and I never confronted Morgoth directly."

"We saw what was to come and created you to help the heroes fight the monsters that Morgoth released upon Middle-Earth. Your birth so inspired Varda that she created stars of the Valacirca. The Sickle of the Valar was a gift for you Rylee and a warning to Morgoth of his eventual downfall." Irmo told her showing her the difference of the world after her creation. It was like seeing two different dimensions of the same world but with different scenarios played out. "When you ran away and created an argument between the Valar, we realized that our unity against Morgoth was breakable, you showed us our weakness."

"The Valar have no weaknesses," Rylee whispered softly, blinking away her tears. She didn't want to think of her infraction, she felt she was still learning from it and still needed to make amends.

"But we do Rylee. If we were faultless, we would never have released Morgoth from the Halls of Mandos," Irmo paused and looked down at her with an expression she had never before seen on his face. It was one she could not describe. "Since then we have found that you are our greatest weakness and you are our greatest strength. We realized that if we lost you to the darkness it would tear us apart. This is the reason why Ilúvatar left you under the care of Aulë. It was not because we abandoned you or because we did not care. It was because we needed to reflect on the effect that you, your very existence, has over us. There has never been a Child of the Valar before."

Rylee looked at him through the corners of her eyes, her eyebrow quirked up, thinking that surely he was jesting. "Surely you are joking."

"No, Lukhdel," his voice was still gentle, and yet he had a small smile as he looked at her, "Come with me on the Path of Dreams. Manwë will explain it to you."

He offered her his hand and she rose from the table, the soft green cloth swirling around her. With her hand in his they journeyed to the Island of Aman. They took a path of silver stone, through flowering trees of starlight and gold and emerged into the Gardens of Lórien. The grass grew in thick green swaths of rolling lawns with deep green hedges cut into natural arbors and arches. Flowers and vines grew up through the hedges and into the arches, making everything seem more and more vivid and intense. Immediately Rylee felt the stress of Middle-Earth fall away and her entire being felt like it was being embraced by the warmth of family.

Mahal and Manwë stood together in the garden in the midst of a deep discussion, Irmo cleared his throat and Mahal looked up and met Rylee's eyes. She was changed from the child who left this realm through the Tapestries of Time woven by Vairë. Gone was the stubborn girl who demanded to be allowed to leave. Gone was the girl who took the words of Ilúvatar to heart and built a wall between herself and her entire family. She looked tired, lost, and somewhat broken. Mahal was certain that he was right. Kili was the only one who could help her find her light. He took three great strides as Rylee ran to him and launched herself into his awaiting arms. "Lukhdel, my little light, I have missed you."

"And I you, Mahal, I miss you so," Rylee sobbed into his neck hugging her father tightly. He held her tight in his arms and she relished the moment of being in the presence of her maker. It seemed too soon when he set her back on her feet. Rylee wiped her happy tears from her face and sniffled.

"Rylee Emitheral," Manwë said softly and Rylee stepped forward to meet him. She kept her eyes on the ground, terrified to look up into the honest eyes of Manwë. He was always able to look into her heart and see her secrets. She took a deep breath and raised her eyes to his face, his hair was silvery white, so bright it sparkled like mithril and diamonds, his eyes were the deepest sapphire blue. As she feared, they drilled into her soul and she could see him furrow his brow as he saw the darkness within her. She couldn't stop the small sob that caught in her throat as she thought of her failures.

"It is not failure my child to be changed by the world in which you live. You have overcome great odds and have had many trials. If you truly want to find your way out of darkness, you need to find your light," Manwë told her as he held out his hand towards her and indicated that she was to move forth. She took his hand and together they walked through the garden. He did not speak for a long time and Rylee was uncertain if she should say something to him. "Do you remember what I told you of your creation in the flames of Aulë's forge?"

"You said that I was created out of clay, filled with the essence of six of the Valar," Rylee whispered softly. "Varda gave me starlight, so that my soul would be strong against the darkness. Nienna gave me compassion, so that I could see the world with grace and love. Yavanna gave me the love of the Earth and all that grows so that I would understand the value of life."

Rylee paused for a long moment and looked up at Manwë. He nodded and commanded, "Please continue Rylee Emitheral."

"Oromë gifted me with a hunter's instincts, so that I would be able to find the foe that I seek. Tulkas empowered me with strength, so that I could meet my enemies with a strong body and a steadfast mind." Rylee looked up at Manwë, filled with curiosity. She wondered why she was repeating these old teachings, "And Mahal gave me the gift of creativity, so that I would be able to make the weapons I needed to take down my foes."

"Correct," Manwë smiled at her in pride, "We arranged for you to have very specific powers, then your vessel was placed into the fire and you were born. You were meant to be truly mortal, much like the Dwarves of Middle-Earth, but Ilúvatar saw a different path. He allowed your essence to be filled with magic and the power we placed within you changed. Only Ilúvatar knew what form your magic would take and he feels that your powers must be learned by you over time. This is why we could not help you when we discovered your powers."

Rylee was thrown by this knowledge, she felt completely bewildered. "So I was to have a different magic and I changed it?"

"Yes, you were to be able to purify the souls of others and to heal, much like the powers of the elves." Manwë told her with a small smirk, "We think that the gifts you were given by the Valar and the fire of the forge amplified the original gifts you were given, and changed them into something entirely new. You have the ability of fire which you alone can wield. There are three types of fire that you can use; the fire of creation and destruction, the red flame, the blue flame of clarity and the white flame of purification."

"You said gifts Manwë, the fire that is within me, that is one gift. Like a tree with three branches," Rylee said in confusion. She looked up at him, "The other gift, is it the Aglâbu Azrâdu'damâm?"

"Blood Magic Language? It is a fitting name for it, since it is tied to your blood and your fire." Manwë nodded in agreement, "You are the only person who can use it Lukhdel, and because of this we have called it the language of light. Only Ilúvatar knows of the potential that lies within the language."

"So there is more that I must learn? Can you teach me?" Rylee asked in confusion, the Valar knew very little about her flame when she first showed them how to use it.

"No Lukhdel, we cannot teach you, we already told you this," Manwë smiled at her, they stood at the edge of the garden looking north towards the Isle of Estë.

"Yes, I was told to find Jovina. That she could help me, but she vanished in Gondolin. I saw her vanish in the flames of a dragon. I have been trying to use what she taught me, to learn more about my powers." Rylee countered and looked up at him she was trying to figure out the puzzle that was her magic. "Jovina said that she didn't understand why or how my powers worked, but I have been cleansing daily for weeks and the more I use it the better I understand the bond. This is the magic that comes from my soul and ties the blood and fire together isn't it?"

"Always so astute," Manwë said soberly. "I must warn you though, now that your soul has been tainted by darkness, you must be very careful not to allow it to consume you. If someone like Sauron or one of his minions were to capture you, this darkness could spread into your soul and if it does, they would be able to use you as a weapon."

"Never," Rylee whispered in fear. She met his eyes and she shook her head in denial. She never wanted to fall like Sauron. "How do I find my light Manwë? How do I purge the darkness from my soul?"

He turned to her and smiled sadly, "Now that the taint is there, you will never be completely free from the darkness Rylee. First you must find your light, and second you must regain the Star of Ilúvatar."

Rylee sighed and thought about Thranduil, she now knew that he lived in Mirkwood to the East, they would be traveling right past him. There was so much that still needed to be done, first she needed to know why Irmo brought her to Manwë. She furrowed her brow, "So why did Irmo call me the Child of the Valar? I thought I was the Daughter of Aulë"

"We each gave something to you, whether it was during your creation or during your training, you became a part of us. When Ilúvatar breathed life into you, he filled you with the essence of the Valar, yet he made you mortal so that you could be tied to the Tapestries of Time and your body reset as needed at the beginning of each quest. This is why you are the Child of the Valar." Manwë informed her, his face was emotionless, "You are the child of all of us, Lukhdel, not just of Mahal. When you ran away you hurt all of us, not just Yavanna and Nienna."

"I know, I am truly sorry Manwë," Rylee said softly, tears welled in her eyes and a lump formed in her throat. She tried and failed to contain her emotions and the tears began to fall. "What I did was wrong, I understand that my actions could have destroyed the Tapestries of Time and it was by mere chance that I did not break the world. I saw myself fall while I was on top of Ancalagon, it was by pure luck that my younger self did not notice my older self. Not only did I hurt myself, but I hurt everyone I love. I am trying to be better, to prove myself and not mess up. Can you forgive me?"

"I forgave you long ago Rylee Emitheral," Manwë smiled and took her hands in his own. She looked him in the eyes, those eyes that could penetrate directly to her soul. "The question is; can you forgive yourself?"

"I – I don't know," Rylee said as she tried to stop her tears from falling, "What I did was so stupid, I was so naïve and so stubborn. I took out my anger at myself on you and the rest of the Valar. I was horrible to Thorin, and he was always there to support me, guide me, and teach me. I made your lives miserable for years. What I did was so very wrong!"

"You were a child, Lukhdel. A strong willed child. We knew you would be, your fierce nature has always been known to us," Manwë soothed her as he led her back through the garden. "Irmo is going to tell you how the Path of Dreams works now so that while you sleep you can come home and visit us more often."

"But what about the visions, the portents?" Rylee asked softly, "Don't I need the visions to see my path?"

"Irmo will explain how it works, do not fret," Manwë smiled. They entered the clearing, back where Irmo and Mahal waited for them. Manwë pulled Rylee into a gentle hug and kissed the top of her head, "Take care of yourself, Lukhdel, you are right to think that this is your final quest. After this you will live of your own free will. So live it well."

"I will, I promise," Rylee vowed hugging him back. He nodded once, stepped back and then he was gone. Rylee figured that he had returned to his high mountain home in the North-East of Valinor.

"I must go too, Lukhdel," Mahal said as he lifted her into a bear-hug. "Come visit soon."

"I will, I promise." Rylee whispered in his ear, hugging him fiercely in return. He placed her back on the ground. "I love you, Adad."

"Thorin is Adad," He put his finger under her chin, and made her look him in the eye. "We have been over this. He is as much your father as I am Rylee, you need to treat him as such. You know very well that he is not just your Ugshar. He has not heard you call him Adad since you came back from Angband."

"But he said-," Rylee protested only to have Mahal's finger pressed to her lips.

"I know what he said," Mahal said sternly, his face brooked no arguments and Rylee sighed in frustration. "He was wrong, and he knows it, he just doesn't know how to say it. I also know that he tried and failed to follow Ilúvatar's order to keep his distance. Thorin didn't know that the order was not meant for him, he feels guilty enough over all that happened. He does not need you to hold a grudge."

"Fine," Rylee growled lowly. "I have been trying you know. We don't fight near as often as we used to."

"I know, I am proud of you," he grinned and put his hand on her head. "I have to go now. I love you, Lukhdel."

"I love you too," Rylee whispered softly, "Mahal."

"Good girl," He said with his smile still in place, "See you soon. Oh and Rylee, go easy on Kili, he means well he has just never met anyone like you before."

"Okay." She smiled sadly back at him and watched him walk out of the garden. She turned to Irmo who was waiting patiently by the Path of Dreams.

"Ready Rylee?" He asked her as he held his hand out for her.

Rylee merely nodded her response, unable to talk past the lump in her throat. Coming to Aman was bittersweet. She took his hand and he led her back down the path and back into her room within the Healing Halls.

"The portal will be open to you within your dreams, you just have to envision it as you close your eyes to go to sleep. Your body will remain in your bed, while your essence will travel over the Path of Dreams. You will be capable of traveling at the speed of thought while in the dream world, but we will still be able to see you and touch you." Irmo informed her. Rylee looked at the portal before her and held her hand out to touch it. It was solid under her hand, but as she pulled away it flickered and became less visible. "If you do not envision the portal, then you will have your portent dreams, they should be clearer now, but no less vivid."

"Right, to come to visit, I imagine the gate. Is there anything else I should know?" she looked at him with her eyes wide.

"When your wound was recanted and the portal was opened, I was able to make the connection through your dreams. Doing this has a consequence; you will be able to use a form of telepathy to contact others." Irmo told her, and smiled as her eyes widened even more in surprise, "I must warn you however, it will drain all of your energy and send you into a deep sleep. So never use it during battle, or when you are in danger. If you do use it, make sure you are somewhere safe and where you can sleep for a long period of time."

"All right," she nodded in understanding and climbed back onto the table. "Thank you Irmo, for everything."

"You are very welcome," He smiled back at her and walked through the portal. Rylee lay back on the table and closed her eyes, falling into a deep sleep. A sleep haunted by the most terrifying images of darkness consuming her soul. Of the shadows eating away at her and being unable to fight it. She needed her light and there was no light in her life. No joy or laughter. It was always only fighting and death.

* * *

June 7

Kili was in the Company's quarters when Rohinna sent word that Rylee was awake and back in residence at the House of Aulë. It was not until late the following afternoon that they received word that she was released from the Healing Halls, much to the chagrin of the Master Healer. According to Elorin the healers wanted to keep her there longer and Rylee dared them to try. After a very short struggle, Rylee walked out with the disheveled healers standing in her wake.

Thorin chuckled at the news and when Balin asked why he just said, "Oh nothing really, Rylee just can't stand bed rest. She doesn't know how to sit still, you saw how antsy she got when she injured her feet, and she had Kili to keep her busy."

"Well Kili, are you going or not?" Elorin asked with keen interest. The tall Dwarf-Elf was spending more and more of his free time in the company of the Dwarves, that afternoon he came in carrying a keg of ale along on his massive shoulder. "I want to know what she says so we know what to say when we drink it. Either we toast in celebration, or we drown our sorrows, either way this keg is in honor of you lad."

"I am leaving now," Kili said as he rose from the bench that he claimed for his bed for the duration of their stay. Kili was already cleaned up to the best he could be, as soon as they were done with weapons training that morning he had found his way to the public bath house to make sure that he was presentable for Rylee.

He tried not to run the entire way there, and the closer he got the slower his footsteps became. After nine days of rehearsing what he wanted to say, his mind went completely blank. His mouth went dry, his heart pounded in his ears and he began to sweat. He trudged past the market and shops toward the larger Smiths and finally past the Armory and training field. He looked at the road that led to her house and felt as though he was walking to his death. He was absolutely terrified.

The courting bead he held in his fingers suddenly felt so heavy and yet so completely insignificant. He wanted more than just to court her, but it was the first step towards claiming her in the eyes of the world. The path wound through the forest and he was amazed at the flowers, shrubs and bushes that grew wildly in the gardens. The scents of honeysuckle, lilacs and roses filled the air. Clover grew in patches and Kili noticed Mikhaul grazing happily nearby, her beard was hanging in loose waves from her black chin, her main and tail also hung in thick loose waves. She nickered happily in hello and told Kili that Rylee was at the swing by the waterfall.

"Rylee," He said as he stepped up beside her, she barely stopped the movement of the swing, all but ignoring him standing there. She was wearing a thin white tunic and a lush blue robe over top, her feet were bare. She looked as though she was ready for bed, not walking in a garden. Seeing her bare toes made him remember the night she gave him her token. The thought made him remember holding her against him, which led to imagining her naked and the thought of her naked made him think of her in bed. And thinking of her in her bed was, ah Mahal, he wanted her.

"What is it Kili?" Rylee asked him, her face was a frown, she didn't even look up.

"Rylee, please look at me," He pleaded with her. All the progress he made with her on the trail was wiped away by a few stupid mistakes. She stopped the swing and stood before him, her arms crossed defensively in front of her chest. Her eyes met his with a bright gleam of defiance.

"Start talking Kili, because I am about to physically throw you out if you don't say something good and meaningful," She stared at him stone faced. As always just looking at him set her heart to racing and her blood rushing, it took everything within her not to breakdown and rush into his arms.

"I am sorry, Rylee. I should never have yelled at you like that. You are a seasoned warrior and I had no right to second guess you." The angry spark in her eyes made him lose his words and all he could do was stare down at her. She waited glaring up at him, emotions flickering across her face, and the one that kept coming back was the hurt. The hurt that he caused. "I want and need to be with you. I have been denying it for weeks, and then I wanted to tell you at the Troll camp but I just, I just keep messing it all up. I know you don't need me to protect you but I just needed to know you were alright. When I saw you covered in that blood I only wanted to make sure you were okay, but it kept coming out all wrong. Rylee the last thing I want is to give you more pain."

"What are you saying Kili," Rylee said her voice soft, he looked like he was truly anguished and she wanted to make it go away. Her hand itched to touch his face and clear away the pain she saw there.

"You are this beautiful dream that just fell into my lap, as though Mahal himself chose you for me and me for you. I used to dream of the chance of meeting my One and I swear Rylee, when I saw you I just knew. You have been driving me insane since we met. I hate it when you are not by my side, I hate seeing you with the others. I don't want to share you with anyone," He continued, he looked down at her and saw pain in her eyes. "You are my One, I cannot live a moment longer without you."

"Kili," Her heart nearly stopped at his admission. His One. She was his One. She stepped in front of him and hesitantly reached up to brush several strands of lose hair away from his face, "you are my One, and that terrifies me."

"Rylee," he hauled her against him, his hands on her hips, the thick robe separated just enough to give him a glimpse of the curves under the thin tunic. Damn she was beautiful. "I am going to kiss you now. I may not be able to stop."

His lips crushed hers and her arms rose to his shoulders, her hands in his hair. His heart ached as he pulled her against him. He needed more of her, he needed all of her. Anything she would give him he would take it willingly. His hands moved up her back, holding her tighter. One hand glided over her shoulder and up her collarbone to the bare column of her neck. She gasped at the contact and he used the moment to deepen the kiss. His tongue brushing against hers, hers was dancing with his. It was almost tentative, like the first one they shared.

He pulled away from her for a moment, allowing them both to catch their breath. "Rylee marry me, become my wife."

"Kili," She tried to step back, fear filling her eyes. He stopped her and put a finger over her lips.

"Hear me out, Rylee," Kili said softly, kissing her again when she tried to protest. "I love you, I don't care that we are on a quest. We could die tomorrow or two hundred years from now, it would not matter as long as I spend every moment I can with you. You are my One, you said I am yours, what is there to keep us apart?"

"What if I have to sacrifice myself again? What if my quest is to be bait to the dragon again? I never want to hurt you Kili, it would haunt me." Rylee whispered, a frown marring her beautiful face. He kissed away the lines.

"We will cross that bridge when it comes Rylee, I am not afraid to love you. I love the brash reckless War Maiden, covered in Orc and Warg blood, I love the Armorer covered in soot and ash, and I love when you are just you, a dwarrowdam who holds my heart in her hands." Kili said, his voice was husky with want and need. He needed her to say yes to him.

"What about the dancer of sword and axe?" Rylee asked softly, "Do you love her as well? Or, the dwarf maid, who will never be able to cook you an edible meal, what of her?"

"Daughter of Mahal, I will take you in any and every form you present yourself to be. Even covered in slough sludge, I want all of you, I need all of you." Kili vowed. He watched her face as she slowly overcame her doubts. He was certain he was going to win her. He just needed to hear her say yes. "Please Rylee, become my wife."

"When?" Rylee asked, her voice was soft, scared, "When would you want to marry?"

"Now? Yesterday? The day we first met?" Kili said with a seductive grin, her hand moved to touch his face, brushing over his lips, he kissed her finger tips.

She laughed softly at his eagerness, "Kili, you rush me. I need sleep, and I need proper clothes, as well as your Uncle's blessing. Give me four days."

"Why Rylee, why must we wait?" Kili said, he wanted her tonight, he could not spend any more time apart from her.

"I want you to court me properly Kili, for three full days, morning to night," Rylee told him. "You don't know me, you don't know what a tyrant I can be, and I don't know you. We spend the next three days together, learning about each other. On the fourth day we will wed."

"You realize that we have had five weeks on the trail together, where there is little to no privacy amongst us, you know me as well as anyone in the Company, other than Fili and Uncle Thorin." Kili argued with her, he would marry her in the morning if she would allow it.

"I know of your horrible habits on the trail, I know of your mischievous humor," Rylee whispered softly, her fingers brushed softly against his beard, and across his jaw. "I know of your bravery and valor, I know of your recklessness and your skill. I know that you are passionate, and you make my heart soar, but I do not know you, where you came from, your childhood, how many children you want, if any. I do not know what you want to do once this quest is done, I do not know of your fears. I want to know these things Kili. I want to know you before we marry, and I want you to know me."

"You are a demanding wench," Kili looked at her with shock and more than a little adoration, "at least you want to spend time with me."

"I have only started with my demands Kili," Rylee grinned up at him a wicked glint in her eye, "I want a traditional First Age wedding. An exchange of braids, a blood oath, and hand fast ceremony. Thorin, if he approves of our union, is to preside over it."

"Four days it is then," Kili grinned at her, his heart leaping for joy. He kissed her again and again, making her breathless. "I will do anything as long as I win you in the end. You are my prize. You are my treasure."

"You have forgotten something Kili," Rylee whispered as she gasped for breath between kisses.

"What, Rylee?" Kili groaned as he held her against him. Feeling her body through the robe was driving him to madness. "What have I forgotten? All I can think of is you."

She chuckled lowly, caressing his face and his trimmed beard. "Courting braids Kili. I want no more elf-maids making eyes at you."

"Mahal, tell me about it, Daeron was circling like a vulture the day we arrived! I know he was only helping you make me jealous but even so!" Kili growled with frustration remembering the Elven Captain who was hovering around the Armory. "I will not share you with anyone. I want you for mine Rylee Emitheral. Will you allow me to place a courting braid in your hair?"

"Aye Kili, as long as I can place mine in yours," Rylee whispered happily. She reached up and unclipped her hair allowing the dark fiery waves to spill around her face.

Kili could not stop his hands from threading into the thick dark waves. He pulled her against him so he could burrow his face into the luscious locks spilling over her shoulders. "I love the way you smell and the feel of your hair. My love, this may take a while. I just, I just need to hold you close."

He sat on the swing and pulled her into his lap. Kili combed his fingers through her hair, gently releasing the tangles that he found and separating all the braids. He chose a lock of hair just over her other braids and started to braid his claim into her hair. When he reached the end he pulled out one of his blue Durin beads. It had his name, his color, his line. It was his mark. He closed the bead and tugged on it lovingly. "Mine Rylee. In four days, I will have you as mine."

She turned towards him with an impish grin on her face, "Be careful, Kili. You may not like me after the next three days."

She reached up and undid the clasp in his hair. She chose the same place in his hair as he chose in hers. It was tradition that they match in courtship. She twined her braid into his hair and pulled a bead from the pocket of her robe. "Do you always carry a bead in your robe Rylee? Or were you that sure of me?"

"Ever hopeful, Kili," Rylee whispered as she fastened the Blood Mithril and Black Diamond clasp into his hair, it was the only one of her beads that had her name on it. She made it before leaving Aman in hopes of this moment, the moment she could make claim to her One. She tugged on the braid and whispered, "My one, my only."

"I love the way you say it." Kili said softly as he pulled her against him for a kiss. They helped each other fix their hair back into their clasps and then Kili just held her against him on the swing. They stayed there until well after midnight, calmed by the sound of the waterfall in the pond, enjoying being curled in each other's arms. When she started to fall asleep against him he decided that it was time to go, she needed her rest and he was keeping her from it.

He walked her to the door of the house and he kissed her goodnight. As he began to walk away Rylee called, "Kili, meet me at the training fields in the morning, bring your weapons, and tell Dwalin that I will be helping you train for the next three days."

He frowned and walked swiftly away to go talk with his uncle. He found him with the rest of the group. He was suddenly terrified that his uncle would disapprove of the union, telling them that it would create too much of a distraction on the road. Or tell him that they were rushing it and had to wait until Kili built halls of his own for her. He pushed forward and made his way to their quarters.

"Well, Kili?" Thorin said looking at the young dwarf before him. Kili was gone for hours, which could mean anything. The lad was filled with nervous energy. He could not tell if the lad came with good news or bad, the look in his eye was nearing wildness. Rylee was stubborn enough to hold him away from her for years, "Will she have you or not?"

"Aye, she said yes," Kili stopped for a moment and looked up at his uncle as the words settled into his own mind. Rylee said she would have him. That she would marry him. Meeting his uncle's eyes he felt a grin spread across his face, he turned his head showing his uncle the courting braid, "She will marry me, if she has your blessing."

"And I take it you wish to have the wedding sooner rather than later," Thorin smirked knowingly as a resounding joyous cheer filled the room as the group heard the news. Elorin cracked open the keg and mugs were passed around. Kili was brash and reckless as always, but in this case he understood. His nephew wanted to catch and tame his filly before she could think to run away again.

"I would marry her tomorrow if she would allow it but she has agreed to marry in four days. Is that enough time to arrange everything?" Kili said, looking from Thorin to Fili then Bilbo and back to Thorin. "She wants me to court her morning to night for the next three days, and on the fourth she wants a proper wedding from the First Age."

"Who are you going to invite Kili?" Ori asked with a smirk, "You have any elf maids in mind?"

"Very funny, you just won't let that one go." Kili rolled his eyes with a chuckle, then he turned serious. "Just the company, Elihara, Elorin, and Lord Elrond of course. I mean it's not like we need anything big and fancy."

Gandalf and Elrond wandered into the courtyard at that moment, "What doesn't need to be fancy?"

"Rylee has agreed to marry Kili," Thorin shot Gandalf a knowing look, and Gandalf looked a little more than merely amused. For weeks they watched Rylee hold Kili at a distance, not willing to be hurt by the one person who held her heart. They watched Kili fight with his feelings for her. Denying what he knew all along. Finally the pair acknowledged their feelings for each other. "Four days from now."

"Then you are correct, simpler would be best. Her customs would be from the First Age," Elrond nodded wisely. He looked at the party of dwarves before him. Much had changed in their customs over the Ages, but that would be the kind of union that Rylee would expect. "She will want to exchange braids, so you will need a hair clasp that signifies your relationship and love for her. And you will need to be prepared for the blood oath."

"Yes that is what she said. An exchange of braids, a blood oath, and a hand fast ceremony." Kili's nodded at Lord Elrond's words confirming what Rylee requested.

Fili's eyebrows shot up in surprise, "They really used to do that?"

"Aye," Elrond said in amusement. "Usually with an oath to the effect of, 'My heart unites with yours to make One.' It would be the simplest union."

"It sounds almost archaic to me," Ori said, thinking about the lost tradition, there was a reason why it was lost. Perhaps it should stay in the past. He was a little squeamish about the blood part. "What about the building year, Kili is to make a home for them, and the exchange of dowry to her family? She is to make her robes for the ceremony."

"Ori, Rylee does not have family here to accept a dowry, it would be redundant for Kili to give a dowry to his own uncle for her hand. She does not know how to sew, and she would be the first to tell you that her home is wherever her One is." Gandalf told the young scribe, "A blood bond will do more to create a tie with Kili and his family than your current traditions will. It is more sacred of a bond. Deeper and more lasting, and if one of you even mentions a contract in her presence expect to feel her wrath. A woman from her Age would never allow a piece of paper to guide her love for her chosen husband, not when a blood bond will unite them beyond death and into Mahal's Halls."

"Yes, it is one of the most elegant and durable of any bonds that I have ever witnessed," Elrond said from beside Gandalf looking over at a thoughtful Kili. "Durin and his One were united with a blood oath. The ceremony is simple, but quite beautiful. Thorin would have to be the one to bless and unite you as he is both your kin and your King."

"I like the sound of that, and it is what Rylee expects," Kili said looking over at Thorin, a smile lifting the corners of his lips. Thorin returned it. "Rylee is a War Maiden of the First Age, so many things have been lost during the Ages, but it does not have to be that way in this matter."

"Very wise, Kili. We shall arrange for the union to take place in the evening on the fourth day," Thorin advised, looking at the group before him. He knew exactly what Rylee wanted, only because Mahal told him. Being the brash impetuous War Maiden that she was, Rylee would be appalled at having to wait for a year when death and war were often days away. "There is only one difference that we must plan for and that is the exchange of rings, if the rings are not exchanged, the marriage will not be considered sanctified by the Seven Kingdoms."

"So Kili, is she holding you to the three day courting ritual as well?" Gandalf said with a twinkle in his eye.

"Aye, but I am not sure what to expect." Kili said looking up at the wizard, "She told me to bring my weapons and to tell Dwalin that she would be taking over my training for the next three days."

"It means that you will show up when expected and find ways to impress your lady." Balin told him, wise as always. "The next three days, you will get to know her and she you."

"That is good then, as long as we spend it together, I don't care what we will be doing." Kili said resolutely. Three whole days in the company of his beloved, it was exactly what he wanted. He turned to join his brother and to celebrate the news with the company.

Thorin watched his nephew walk away, and Elrond turned to look at him. "You are willing to bless this union then?"

"Aye, What of it?" Thorin met Lord Elrond's eyes with a fierce look of his own, "She is Kili's One, and he is hers. It would not do to tear them apart."

"The fact that she is the daughter of Aulë and Ilúvatar does not bother you?" Elrond asked softly.

"Of course it doesn't bother me, as her guardian and teacher, I am more aware of her beginnings than anyone. She has loved Kili from the moment they met. It is my belief that Mahal himself has blessed this union, I would be remiss by not doing the same." Thorin shot the Elven Lord a dark look. He might be a little cold sometimes but he was not heartless.

"Good," Elrond smiled and nodded and looked at Thorin for a long moment. "Her last betrothal was not one forged of love. She deserves joy, the fewer that stand in between that, the better for all."


	22. Mithril Days, Black Nights

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Chapter 22

Mithril Days, Black Nights

June 8 – 9

After talking to Irmo her dreams were so vivid that she continually woke with a scream in her throat. She was used to seeing death in her dreams but the horror of these dreams was unlike anything that she could describe. This was her eighth dream of the night. First Thorin, then Fili, and lastly Kili died. All of them dead. The heirs of Durin, the heirs of Erebor died, over and over again. Sometimes together, sometimes one by one. A knot settled in the pit of Rylee's belly.

The dream was so vivid and so real. For the first time since her quest began she saw the dragon, a red beast, large and long, with bat-like wings attached to its forelegs. Sharp, deadly spines along its face and down its back, its scales bright and its slimy belly glistened with melted gold and jewels. There was a singular dark spot where a scale was missing near its heart. She was riding the dragon and it was headed straight for a town. Kili and Fili and several other dwarves were running through the plank streets that held the town above water. They were running away from the dragon, and Rylee had her whip wrapped around its snout, but with a sharp snap to its jaws her whip broke apart into a thousand mithril jewels. Rylee began to slip off its neck and pulled out her axes in an effort to stop her fall and drove them deep into the muscle. It was too late, she had lost control of Smaug and the dragon snapped his teeth on Kili. He didn't even get the chance to scream. She woke with a scream of terror.

She was covered in a film of sweat, her heart was beating a hundred miles a minute, and her breath came out in ragged gasps. Pain filled her entire body and clenched her stomach tight in the grip of fear. She could not lose him. She would not allow it. She could not lose Thorin or Fili either. They were her family. The three of them meant the world to her, but Kili was so much more than just her One, he was everything to her.

Rylee rose, made her bed, dressed, and braided her hair. It was an artful braid, intricate and beautiful in honor of Eru. It was a tradition. Only her courting braid hung loose from the rest of the design, this braid she tucked behind her ear. She wanted it to be seen, but she also needed it to be out of the way while training with Kili.

She threw on a pair of black breaches and spent several minutes trying to figure out what dragon skin top she was going to wear before pulling out a simple red tunic. She left her mithril armor and her weapons at the house. She would not need them. This day she was testing her weapons. She was going to have Kili help her. She slipped out of the house under the cover of early morning darkness, Rohinna was still sleeping and Rylee didn't want to wake her unnecessarily. She headed to the Armory and greeted Elorin who was starting work within.

"Greetings Elorin," Rylee said with a grin, she could smell the ale on him as she entered the forge.

"Rylee! Let me see it!" Elorin spun and came at her with a hot iron. The tip of it was glowing a deep dark red. He had a big sloppy grin on his face and the beads in his beard were tinkling together as he turned.

"Hold up, Master Weapon Smith, unless you want this place to go up in flames, you will put the red iron down." Rylee said with a grin of her own.

"Right, sorry. It's not hot enough anyways," Elorin said dropping the cooling iron back into the hot coals. "So? Let me see it!"

"Wow, someone is excited about a courting braid," Rylee chuckled and pulled the braid from behind her ear. She remembered him offering to set her up with some of his friends in Gondolin and Rylee told him that there was no way she was interested in courting.

"I have been waiting to see this braid for over six thousand years," Elorin said as he gently touched the braid and examined the bead, "Well the lad knows his braids and he knows how to forge a clasp. Your Kili might just match you in talent with the metal work."

"I know. I spent the majority of last night examining his work. It is nearly flawless." Rylee said with a grin, "If I were to bet, he apprentices as a metal worker of some sort."

"A Dwarf after your own heart," Elorin said with a sly smile. The two were very much alike. Rylee was right, Kili did work with metal as an apprentice. He told Elorin that while they were waiting for Rylee to come out of the Forge, but he was reluctant to show Elorin his work. When the lad finally did, Elorin was blown away, Kili was quite talented. He also knew that Rylee once made an intricate metal miniature duplicate of the Vingilot as a gift for Elrond and Elros, every part moved of its own accord.

Rylee's defenses rose and she felt a little worried, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I am just saying you both work with metal," Elorin said cheekily, "I can imagine you both in your own forge, you making weapons for King Thorin, and Kili making whatever it is you think he makes."

"Maybe someday I can have a forge of my own," Rylee whispered softly, eyeing the tools and raw materials that were stored in neat cubbies around Elorin's immaculate shop. "I have never really given thought to what I would do after my quests are done. I only really use the fire because my magic drives me to it."

"Well mellon nin, I think it is time that you start thinking beyond the quest and into the future." Elorin advised her tugging twice on the braid, once in honor and the second in blessing of the Union.

"I suppose you are right Elorin," Rylee smiled softly, she never planned for her future before and it seemed odd to her to want to all of a sudden. Her secret wishes were for a home, a hearth and a family of her own. She wanted a husband who she could fight beside and who would see her for someone beyond the shiny crown attached to her head. Kili never paid any attention to it and often seemed completely unaware that it was even there. "Is Elihara awake? I want to make plans for this afternoon."

"Oh? What are you planning for this afternoon?" Elorin asked, his natural curiosity written all over his face.

"Nothing yet, this morning I want to test the weapons I made, and I want to come up with something special that Kili will like," Rylee said dropping her eyes to the floor, her hands tapping nervously at her sides. She wanted to spend the day with him doing things that they both would enjoy, but they were on a quest. They never really talked about what each other liked to do outside of that. She wondered if she should have asked for longer than the minimum three day courtship. It was usually used by couples who were known to each other, those whose families were close.

Elorin looked at her and realized that Rylee was not acting her usual self. She was nervous, blushing, and apparently scared. He knew she courted Thranduil during her third quest, he openly opposed it, which got him barred from seeing her. Not that Rylee ever allowed that to stop her from using his forge. By that point in time, Elorin figured it was as much hers as it was his. After she died, he missed her presence so much that he refused to work for several weeks. He just kept seeing Rylee inside the forge and then he would blink and she was gone. Regardless, Rylee was scared and wanted to make a good impression on Kili. It was so sweetly obvious how terrified being in love and having that love returned was making her.

"I have just the idea for you," Elorin said with a small smile, he led the way into the house and they found Elihara in the kitchen kneading loafs of lembas bread. "Eli, Rylee needs a go-box for the crystal caves for this afternoon."

"The crystal caves?" Elihara's eyebrows shot up. She met Elorin's eyes and then looked at the deep blush on Rylee's face. Understanding flowed through her, "Pulling out all of the stops for Kili are we? The caves will definitely make an impression."

"Where are the crystal caves?" Rylee asked quietly.

* * *

He was up and dressed quickly the next morning, carrying his weapons and on his way before the rest of the company even opened their eyes. He rounded the corner by the Armory and passed Daeron, the Captain of the Guard limping off the training field toward the healing house. "You all right Daeron?"

"Yes fine, I, um, just pulled something in my leg," Daeron grumbled as he limped past. Kili looked at him and noticed the dust marks marring his gear, indicating that the dark haired Elf took a fall. Kili just caught the words, "Bested by a dwarf girl, how humiliating."

Kili smirked and continued on to the training field where Rylee was waiting for him. A sheen of sweat was on her brow as though she had already been training. There were several weapons by her side. Obviously she sparred against the Elf and bested him in their match. Kili knew very well just how intense a fighter Rylee was. He approached her quietly and noticed that she had a sad reflective look on her face, one that was marred with worry and fear. Kili wondered for a moment what had her so distraught but the moment she heard him it disappeared and a smile lit her face. "Kili!"

"What was it?" Kili asked her, taking her hand. "What were you thinking about that upset you?"

She hesitated for a long moment before she finally answered with a small shrug, "I was thinking about a dream I had."

She didn't say anything else, and Kili decided to let it go, instead he took in the sight of his intended bride. She was dressed in black breeches and a simple red tunic, there was an oil rag hanging partially out of her pocket. Her hair was braided back away from her face in an elaborate plait that would put both Dori's and Nori's to shame. It framed her face making her hair look like a crown of dark fire. Every strand of hair was pulled into it, including the fine thin braids, family and friend braids, which only added to the intricacy of the style and made her hair look like it was strung with jewels. The heavy end fell down her back in one long four stranded knot braid and was clasped with a thick red mithril clip. The intricate runes were the only decoration. His courting braid hung loose and was tucked behind her ear, hanging in plain sight. He smiled at the sight of it.

"So what is with the braid?" Kili said admiring the braid. He thought it quite beautiful and it suited her well, but it would be heavy and hot and hard to sleep in it.

"In the First Age, during the courting days a maid would wear an intricate braid to honor the Valar. Since I honor Mahal every day, I will honor Eru during these days to thank him for breathing life into the form that the Valar created." Rylee said raising her eyes to Kili.

"What are the runes on the clasp?" Kili asked her as he pulled the heavy braid and clasp over her shoulder, examining the red metal. "I have never seen that clasp before."

"I found it in my pack this morning. It is of Eru's creation, it bears his marks. The runes say 'Child of the Valar'," Rylee said with a soft smile. "I am the child of their creation. The clasp tells my true beginning."

She lifted her hand and touched his face, his strong brow, trailing her fingers over his cheekbone to his jaw. Her fingertips brushing gently against his stubble before she moved her hand into his long hair and pulled him down to kiss her. It was just a soft brush of her lips over his, but the contact was enough to spark a bold need in both of them as Kili pulled her against him and deepened it.

Kili was reluctant to release her, but he knew they could not stand in the training field snogging all day. There would be soldiers, guards, and Dwarves coming to the field soon. He didn't want to share their intimacy with the world. Grudgingly, he pulled away. "The braid suits you but I miss running my fingers through your hair when I kiss you."

"Hmm," She sighed softly as she leaned against him. After her dreams she needed him to be close to her. She needed to know he was still with her and not a figment of her imagination. "I miss that too."

"Rylee, what are we doing today?" Kili asked looking at the weapons.

"This morning you are helping me test these weapons," Rylee grinned at him, her eyes flashing in the morning light. She turned away and picked up a short sword and a dagger from the pile, "We shall see what happens from there."

"What are you doing with the dagger?" Kili asked her as he raised his sword.

"I need to test it too." Rylee said softly. She raised her sword and took her stance. Sword in one hand, dagger in the other, she came at him quick and fierce. He thought that she would strike with the sword first but she feinted and slapped him with the dagger. "Come on Kili pay attention, you are better than that."

He struck with his sword and she parried and whirled away, striking out for him again. He had to jump away, no chance for him to move his blade in time. Finally he struck at her and metal rang against metal, she parried, pushed his blade back, moving her wrist she struck at him again, and this time he parried her blow. He thrust his sword towards her and curled it away. Back and forth they engaged in battle. When the rest of the company turned up for their daily training they were already covered in a thick sheen of sweat and Rylee had not yet moved on from her first weapons.

Fili, Thorin, and Dwalin sat on the sidelines watching the contest carefully. Dwalin watched them with a critical eye before he finally conceded, "She is as good as I remember."

"Aye, she is quite good." Fili said as he watched her attack Kili.

"She uses both front and back hand of the blade when she fights," Thorin added his observation.

"Quite strong too for a woman, look how she pushes his blade when she hits." Dwalin observed quietly, looking at Thorin. "After seven days locked in the Armory, she should be weakened. She seems even stronger than before."

"You don't think he is going easy on her?" Fili asked as he watched his brother. Kili was holding back on her, he could tell, "He is too hesitant, see how he drags his feet just a little? Kili doesn't usually do that."

She looked infinitely stronger after some rest and a bath, but there were still circles under her eyes indicating she was still not at her best. Thorin looked at the pair fighting, "If he knows what's good for him he will fight at his best."

"Why do you say that?" Fili asked looking up at his Uncle.

"Because lad," Dwalin answered for Thorin, "That lass is no pushover, if he wants to keep her, he needs to do it properly. Do you think Rylee would respect a man who did not value her as an equal?"

"I suppose not." Fili nodded. Kili went on the attack, driving Rylee back from him. His movements were quick and steady. His strikes were solid and heavy. She parried every attack, though some unsteadily. Upon occasion she used the large dagger to combat him, obviously testing the blade and the tang. "Looks like he caught on to the game."

"Aye, I suppose he has." Thorin said with a grin. The match went on for several more minutes. They were evenly matched in nearly every way, each of them taking time to attack and parry, dancing around the other searching for any weakness. The song of blade on blade rang out over the training field as they fought for dominance, it took a stealthy slice and drop before Kili had Rylee on her back, his sword at her neck. They all stood to join them. Kili pulled Rylee to her feet.

"If you are that good with a sword, my love, what are you like with your axes?" Kili whispered as he caught his breath. They had fought against each other with swords before, she usually used his while he used Thorin's, but they had yet to spar using their own weapons.

"Deadly," She grinned back as she took deep breaths of her own. They stood together and waited for the others to approach. She pulled an oiled cloth out of her pocket and polished and oiled the blade of the dagger.

"Your blade Master Dwalin," Rylee said holding out the freshly polished dagger. Dwalin took the blade from her hand and held it in his own, testing it for balance, structure, and fit. The blade shone brightly in the light, even after several direct hits from Kili's sword the blade was still razor sharp. The handle was some sort of darkened cherry wood, and what could only be braids of horse hair from Mikhaul. "Mikhaul insisted that I use some of her hair as decoration and binding on the handle, it is as strong as metal and it is light. The engravings on the blade mean 'quick and sure.' I wanted it to be about the same size as your other ones, so you can conceal it if need be.

"'Tis a beautiful blade." Dwalin said quietly, reverently. He was stunned nearly speechless.

"Who is the sword for?" Thorin asked holding out his hand for the short sword, without hesitation Rylee handed it over. It was heavier than it looked, it was definitely made for a male, and she used it easily as though weighted for her own hand. It was faultless, the handle made out of some sort of black bone, fitted to perfection. It was a short sword, but the inside blade curved inwards to a needle sharp point then curved to create a wedged cleft and curved back to the hilt. There was a long furrow in the center on each side to give greater flexibility and to lighten the already heavy weapon. The innermost layer, which could only be seen from the tip, edges, and inside the furrows, was a deep pinkish red in color. It looked like they were already blooded.

"It will tell me when the runes speak," Rylee said looking at Thorin her eyes grave and dark. Rylee was certain that the sword was for Fili. To her it only made sense, since it had an exact replica in the pile. "Like the bow, or like Kili's dagger, but this time I cannot give them to the owner until the time is right."

Thorin passed the sword to Kili, but nothing happened. Kili's eyes widened as he held the sword in his hand and then back at the petit dwarrowdam. He passed the sword to Fili and they all watched in awe as the runes lit up. Only Rylee watched with expectation studying Fili's face as it lit with elation. His eyebrows rose, and his blue eyes widened with shock, his lips pulled into a great smile.

"So the sword is mine?" Fili asked softly, staring at the lines of the blade. It fit him to perfection, it was strong and yet was both a thrusting and cutting blade, "but you cannot give it to me yet?"

"Aye, it and its mate, they come as a pair, I already tested the other. I will know when it is the right time to give it to you," Rylee said meeting Fili's eyes with a soft smile.

"This is your Blood Mithril is it not?" Dwalin asked looking again at the sword. He worked with metal for years as a smith, never had he been able to match that color with the pigments available.

She nodded as she went back to the pile of weapons. She pulled out the mate for Fili's sword and handed it to him. He could test them for himself before she put them away later. "Test them and enjoy them during training today Fili, but when you are done, they must go back in the pile for when it is time. Come on Kili. Pick a weapon, I want to go do other things and we can't do that until these have been properly tested."

Kili grinned at her as he followed. "Is there one in there for me?"

"Perhaps," Rylee hedged slyly, a smile spreading across her face, "Would you like to go find it?"

"Really Rylee? Is that really a question?" Kili smirked as they made their way to the pile. "You really are a cheeky girl."

"Says the cheekiest boy I have ever met," Rylee quipped in return, nudging his shoulder as they went, he stumbled a little and she laughed, "Hurry up Kili, we don't have all day!"

"You truly are a tyrant, you know that?" Kili chuckled as he straightened up, grabbed her, pulled her off of her feet and carried her over to the edge of the field. She shrieked and laughed until he put her down.

"Nay, she is the best sister a man can ask for, these are perfection!" Fili said swinging the swords in tandem, testing their fit, balance, and their swing.

"Well," Dwalin said with a smirk, "Looks like I don't have to worry about the boy slacking off."

"Kili is not complaining," Thorin chuckled lowly, as he watched the pair square off once again, "You know him Dwalin, he loves training. He loves it as much as she does."

* * *

Spending the first few hours training with her was a treat. She rarely trained with them on the road, mostly because of time. There was usually not time to train once she came back from her hunts and the times they could train, they were practicing with the bow. He asked her if she would be training against him with the whip or the axes the next day. She promised him that she would use her axes against his sword.

She made the most wonderful weapons. They were perfectly balanced, a dream to use, sharp as razors, not to mention beautifully crafted. His was perfect for his hand. It was a long sword, made of welded, layered, and folded blue steel, double edged with red mithril. A vein of blue ran through the furrow that ran down the center of the blade. The hilt and pommel was made of dragon scale, the handle was a dragon claw wrapped in blue leather. Fast and deadly, it was a dream to use but she was adamant that he was not allowed to keep it until it was time. He asked her how she planned to store all of the weapons and she smiled oddly and said that Mahal would keep them for her until she needed them.

"How does that work Rylee?" Kili asked her as they walked away from the training field hand in hand. "You said that you found the clasp in your satchel this morning. Was it not there before?"

"No, the satchel that Mikhaul carries for me is made with magic." Rylee smiled up at him, "When one of the Vala think that I might have need of something they put it into a box in the Mansions of Mahal. The box is somehow, don't ask me how, linked to my satchel. It works the other way too. If I put something inside all I have to do is think about storing it for later and it is gone, when I want it back it returns. Mikhaul usually keeps my satchel with her so it does not fall into enemy hands."

"So you could write letters to the Valar and send them through the pack?" Kili asked softly.

"I suppose yes," Rylee said thinking about it. "I have not thought to use it like that but it is magic and should not be abused."

The more time he spent with her the more he loved her. They spent the remainder of the afternoon roaming the city of Rivendell looking for the perfect items for her arrows. It was like a treasure hunt. They held hands as they wandered and talked for hours about everything under the sun. She asked him questions about his childhood, what it was like to have a brother, what his mother was like. She asked him to tell her the tales of Erebor and about Ered Luin, where he grew up.

He told her that Fili was a great older brother, they did almost everything together, hunting and fishing, sparring, training even drinking and meeting women. Kili was embarrassed to tell her that, but Rylee just listened and didn't say a word. He told her that he often felt like a shadow when they went to the taverns or when Thorin held a feast. Fili got all of the attention from the ladies, he had more friends, everyone wanted to be around him. He had such charismatic persona and that cheeky grin that the ladies just loved. Fili grew out his beard and wore his braids with pride. He felt that Fili was the better warrior between the two of them and was certain that Thorin felt the same. He just wanted to prove himself.

He told her that his mother was a strong Dwarrowdam with a quick wit and a great sense of humor, but she had a wicked temper when crossed. When he and Fili would mess up she could deal out the worst punishments, but mostly because they were the most fitting. She was almost as good of a cook as Bombur and made the most wonderful cookies and cakes. She could paint pictures like a master, everything she painted looked so real and filled with life. She sold her paintings at the markets, both those of Dwarves and Men, and they made a good portion of their family's income off of them.

"So, what was your hunt to prove you were battle ready?" Rylee asked him, he already knew that she killed Thuringwethil but she didn't know about his.

"I was near the old mines of Belegost on a high mountain trail in the thick pine forest that grew there, hunting a pair of big horned sheep. When their tracks led further up the trail I followed, it took hours to stalk the pair of huge old rams. When a heavy rain started I thought to go back, but they were so close, I could feel it." Kili said as he told her of his first solo hunt when he came of age at thirty. "I decided to keep going. I followed quickly knowing that if I didn't I would lose their trail, but I had to be as silent as possible or I would spook them. I found the perfect spot downwind to use as a blind and I waited them out. Hours passed and the rain turned to snow, and night was about to fall when finally the pair came back down the trail. I had my bow out and an arrow nocked, and as I drew it back I knew that it was the perfect shot. At the last moment the both spooked, I had no idea what would have spooked them until I heard the growl."

"What was it Kili?" Rylee asked softly, her eyes wide with curiosity.

"A massive wolf, bigger than any wolf I have ever seen. Bigger even than the Wargs that hunted us on our way here. The rams took off, but the wolf noticed me, and I had no choice but to attack it or it would attack me. I was certain that it told me that I was going to die. It told me that I was nothing more than a dead Dwarf boy," Kili told her, he nearly chuckled as he realized that she was holding her breath. "It took me three arrows to take it down. I hit it in the flank first then the neck before my final arrow found its eye."

"You took down a werewolf with three arrows?" Rylee gasped in wonder as she looked up at Kili.

"A what now?" Kili asked in confusion, "It was just a wolf Rylee, not a man beast."

"No Kili, a werewolf looks just like a regular wolf, but they are huge! They have the ability to speak." Rylee shook her head and smiled at him, "To take it down with an arrow is a huge feat. What did you do with it?"

"Well I drug it home, and we skinned it and had it cleaned. The fur is on my bed at home." Kili told her with a small amount of pride. He never thought that it was such a big deal to kill a wolf, but both Fili and Thorin had been pretty impressed. Thorin did complain that he didn't bring home any edible meat though.

"No wonder Thorin trusts you to do the hunting Kili, that is amazing!" Rylee grinned up at him. He loved the way her eyes sparked as she told him her thoughts.

He asked her much of the same questions as she asked him. She told him that Yavanna was her mother, Mahal and Thorin shared the responsibility as her father, and the other Valar were her aunts and uncles. Each of the Valar took time to teach her what she would need to know to be successful in her duties. They were a perfectly happy family until she rebelled at the age of twenty-three, she told him everything. About her shame, about how she nearly rent the Tapestry of Time, how she created a rift among the Valar. That she had shown them a great weakness amongst them, and that Eru had no choice but to tell everyone to back off. She was so hurt by his edict that she took it out on everyone, including Thorin, leaving only Mahal as a connection.

"I should never have run away Kili," Rylee whispered hoarsely, tears in her eyes. They were stopped in a massive garden filled with flowers of every shape and size. "I singlehandedly destroyed my own family. If I could do that to the Valar, what if-, what if I hurt you like that?"

He pulled her to him and held her, "You won't Rylee."

"But I could, just days ago I said horrible things about you and to you. I was vile and mean. You apologized to me, but I never apologized to you. I am truly sorry for what I said, I didn't mean a word of it," Rylee sniffled and looked up at him, her tears falling freely down her face.

"I already forgave you for that Rylee," Kili said softly wiping her tears away, "I did deserve it."

"No you didn't, no one deserves to be spoken to like that. Especially not you," Rylee shook her head slowly, trying to get him to understand what he meant to her. Trying to convey how horrible she felt for saying what she did. Then she lowered her gaze, not understanding why he forgave her so quickly. "I saw the pain on your face last night and I did that. I made you hurt and I hate myself for it. I am not afraid of much Kili, but hurting you tops the list."

"That is why you won't," Kili whispered in her ear, feeling her shiver against him. He rubbed his hands up and down her back, in an effort to sooth her and calm her. "That's why you are going to fix things with your family."

"How? How do I do that?" Rylee whispered back. She nestled her face into his neck and hair, holding him tight to her.

"The same way you just fixed everything with me," Kili kissed her ear making her giggle, "By talking to them. Start by talking to them."

"I love you Kili," Rylee hugged him even tighter, holding him as close as she could before pulling away. "You are everything to me."

He took her hand in his and they left the garden continuing on along their path. The flat cobblestones under their feet were white sandstone. Trees, shrubs, and flowers of every shape and color lined their path filling the air with their fragrant scents. There were several Elves in their homes practicing music or singing, lifting the mood of the small river city. They walked almost aimlessly through the city, always winding down through the streets to the main basin where the waterfalls met. At the bottom of the ravine that housed Rivendell, the main road connected to a long catwalk and a beautiful open market that ran along the bay.

"Kili," Rylee said as they made their way towards the long boardwalk that followed the long beach towards a set of tall waterfalls on the far side of the bay. Rylee didn't tell Kili, but she arranged for a picnic to be sent there for their dinner, Elorin and Elihara helped her set everything up. "What occupation did you do in Ered Luin? Before you left for this quest?"

"I was a miner," Kili sighed and looked at her feeling a little morose. "I hated it, but it helped keep a roof over our heads, and save for this quest. Every once in a while we were hired out as scouts and guides to escort merchants Southeast to Dunland and then back to Ered Luin. Thorin worked a forge, I preferred to spend time with him. I was apprenticing under him when I had time. I preferred to make fine artifacts to anything else. Weapons were my second favorite, not that I was as good as you are. We were commissioned to mostly do smith work though. Horseshoes, bolts, hinges, that kind of thing."

"Fascinating!" Rylee said her eyes sparkling with interest. "What kinds of artifacts?"

"Fine detailed pieces. Would you like to see something I made, Rylee?" Kili asked warily, she wondered why. "It is not my best work, it was one of my first pieces."

"I would love to see, Kili" Rylee told him softly. Excitement filled her.

He reached into an inner pocket and pulled out a hair clasp. It was wrought of shining black iron, the main clasp was bead-like like most clasps, and the top adornment was artful and elegant. A tiny metal flower grew out of the clasp with an intricate butterfly sitting beside it. "It is wonderful, Kili. You are very talented."

"You are just saying that," Kili scoffed, putting the clasp back into his pocket.

"No Kili, I am not." Rylee said stopping suddenly, she made him face her. "I will not lie to you. You said it was not your best work, and yet I have seen much worse being sold for great amounts of money in the market. I know metal Kili, I know how to work it and make it speak. When I say you have talent, I mean it with all of my being."

There was an odd light in her eyes as she spoke about metal and it sparked a curiosity in Kili. He remembered the night she showed them her magic by the fire, and the look of passion on her face. He had to know more, "Tell me about your work Rylee, what do you feel when you are working with the metal. Smelting, forming, I want you to describe what it is like for you."

"I have little to compare it to Kili." Rylee said as she thought about how to answer his question. "The muse hits me like a Balrog and I just can't let it go, it becomes a need to create and the anticipation becomes unbearable. There is trepidation as I start the fires and get the temperatures up, but as soon as I get started with the smelting, there is no stopping. It is like the muse takes over completely and it is all I can do to control the pace. The sparks, the showers, as I mould the metal and weld the layers into each other, creating form out of nothing, it is like there is a fire burning inside that is struggling to get free. There is so little thought, just a massive build until there is release. Other Weapon Smiths stop at the blade and let someone else create the handle and the hilt and pommel, but I can't. For me, a weapon is not complete until I can hold it in my hands and wield it as the weapon it was meant to be. I have no half measures," She told him, her voice was breathy, passionate, the white lights in her gray eyes sparkled brilliantly. Her cheeks were flushed and her excitement was both visible and distinctive as it emanated from her.

Kili wondered if she had any idea that what she was saying could be construed as a description of making love. Her innocence was nearly his undoing as he controlled the impulse to haul her against him and show her his own passion. Instead he lifted his hand and brushed her face from cheek bone to the tip of her jaw, his thumb stroked over her bottom lip and he whispered, "I would love to watch you work, work with you, create with you."

Her breath caught, her eyes widened and she trembled at his touch. The realization hit her that she just described the same feelings of passion in her work as she felt when he touched her. What she discovered was that what she felt while forging metal was nothing in comparison to the electric passion that sang through her at his touch. She also didn't miss the double meaning in his words, heat twisted and coiled tightly in her. "Oh!"

Every time she said that one surprised word, Kili was hit by the urge to kiss her. 'Oh' and her lip biting were the two things she did that made him think of kissing. He grinned as he watched her emotions flicker across her face, and the lights in her eyes flared brightly at his touch. He closed his eyes fighting for control, after watching her obvious and immediate desire. "We should go, Rylee, before I do something very inappropriate in front of all of these Elves."

"All right," she whispered breathily and spun away from him.

Walking swiftly across the boardwalk, he caught up to her just as they passed by a flower vendor. Catching her hand Kili stopped her and bought a pair of miniature red roses. He asked the vendor to cut the stem short. Taking the roses he tucked them into her hair, into one of the intricate braids. He whispered softly into her ear, "Beautiful, but not as beautiful as you are Rylee."

"You should wear roses in your hair always," The vendor said handing Rylee a mirror so she could see. Kili looked at the roses, and then at Rylee. The vendor was right. She should wear roses in her hair. He wondered if Elorin would allow him the use of his shop.

"Thank you," Rylee said handing the mirror back to the vendor. Then she took Kili's hands and pulled him after her, she tucked her arm around his waist, wanting to be closer to him. "They are beautiful Kili."

"Never as beautiful as you," He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, enjoying the feel of her against him.

They reached the waterfalls a few moments later, where they found a box with their names on it. Rylee picked it up and led him to a cave that was hidden behind one of the falls. It was long and deep, there was one singular long curve in it before it opened up into what could only be describes as crystalline wonder. It was not a large cavern yet it was not small either. There were cracks in the rocks beyond a wall of clear crystal that let in the daylight and lit the entire space with soft crackling blue light. The stalagmites and stalactites were also made of crystals, it was as though they walked into a room completely coated in gems. It was wondrous. It was private.

Rylee opened the box and began to pull out a blanket to sit on, and then a bottle of wine, glasses, and a basket full of food. There was roast chicken, potatoes, and steamed vegetables, all in a steam sac to keep it warm.

"Elorin and Elihara told me about this place," Rylee grinned as she showed Kili the fare. "Elihara cooked the chicken for us. I am lucky I have friends who are willing to cook for me, otherwise we would starve."

"I would never let you starve Rylee," Kili smirked looking over at her. She grinned back and handed him one of the legs of the chicken. They ate, they talked, they laughed, and enjoyed each other's company for hours. As the sun set, the cave started to get darker and darker, telling them it was time to go back. Luckily they didn't need to walk since Mikhaul showed up to give them a ride back. Kili kissed Rylee goodnight at her door and promised he would see her bright and early the following morning.

* * *

She woke from the nightmare with a start, ever since walking out of the forge, her visions were much clearer. She knew precisely who she needed to save. It brought terror to her heart to think that she might fail. It was one thing to kill a dragon, and to sacrifice one's self to do so. It was an entirely different thing to try to save three dwarves, all of whom she loved, all of whom were becoming her family. What if she failed? Thorin, Fili, and Kili, she could not lose them. The worst part, she didn't know when it would happen.

The sorrow that filled her heart grew and grew until it became unbearable. She dressed in her black coat dress similar to the one she wore on her first night and left the house. She wandered toward the main palace. She needed to be closer to the Company and she needed to see their faces, even if they would be sleeping. Creeping through the hallways, she made her way to the courtyard where she knew they were camping, until finally she looked upon them, thirteen dwarves and one small hobbit. Her friends, her family.

She hungrily devoured them with her eyes, taking in their peaceful expressions as they enjoyed a deep restful slumber. Their soft snores echoed through the small courtyard where they made their quarters. Bilbo was curled up so tight in his bedroll that she could only see the top of his sandy colored hair, not a single other inch of him was uncovered, not even a toe. Bombur's thick braid was wrapped around his neck like a fuzzy red scarf, Bofur's hat was on top of his face covering his eyes and nose while he breathed softly through his mouth, his dark braids curled up without the hat holding them down. Oin and Gloin slept back to back, Gloin's hand hovering near the handle of his great axe. She wondered when he had picked up that habit since it was not one that he had when they first started out. Ori slept with his head on his writing bag, and Dori and Nori slept on either side like sentinels keeping their little brother safe. Bifur slept propped against a low wall, his left arm twitching upon occasion and he kept uttering 'Du Bekar' in his sleep. He must have been remembering the great war at the gates of Moria. The thought saddened her. Dwalin and Balin slept at opposite sides of the courtyard like they were supposed to be the watchmen but both had given in to the peacefulness that was Rivendell.

Fili, Thorin, and Kili had somehow claimed the low lying wooden benches that edged the wall. One of Thorin's thickly muscled arms covered his eyes his other arm dangled limply over the edge of the bench and onto the ground. His neck was at an odd angle and his pillow was on the ground just out of reach of his fingers. She picked it up and as gently as she could, she maneuvered it back under his head. He grabbed hold of the softness, flipped himself onto his side and drew his dangling arm underneath him and under his thin blanket. Fili was curled up with his back towards her, his blanket clinging only to his feet. She could see the moment a chill picked up in the night breeze as he brushed his hand over his other arm searching for the missing blanket. Rylee crept forward silently and pulled the blanket over him. She could not help but brush a kiss over his temple as she tucked him in. A smile lifted her lips as he whispered, "Thanks Rylee."

"Sleep well Fili," She whispered and she didn't have to wait long before his breaths evened back out and he was fast asleep.

When her eyes fell on Kili's face her heart stopped for a long heartbreaking moment. His dark hair tumbled around his face, his dark lashes were like soft dark feathers against his lightly tanned skin. He looked so peaceful while sleeping, yet still his cheeky smile lingered at the corners of his mouth. His beard had thickened out over the course of the past few days and she knew he would soon need to find a private place to trim it. It was a task that he did when alone, dwarves did not like to trim their beards in front of others, and the rest of the company would find the task obscene. They would see it as some sort of self mutilation instead of an honor of his duty as a master archer. She didn't even know when he found the time while on the trail but then, she was not with them all the time and she often went off on her own for her own needs.

There were so many things she still did not know about him. So many things that she wanted to learn. She didn't think that a single lifetime with him would ever be enough to know him fully, she could spend thousands of years with him and still only know a fraction of his wonderful soul. If he died, she would die with him. She could not bear the idea of living without him and would do anything to protect him. She would give up everything.

Thorin, Fili, and Kili, destined to die. Their fates hung in the balance and could only be changed if she was able to find the path that would alter their destinies. An overwhelming fear settled over as she remembered every dream she had about their deaths. It was different every time, and more horrible to watch as each dream occurred. A small sob caught in her throat as she felt her fear rise. What if she failed? Unable to look upon their peaceful faces anymore she ran away, stumbling through the darkness, as tears started flowing freely down her face. She didn't see how far or near she went, she didn't know that she was going in circles or that she was winding her way into the music room. It wasn't until she arrived before a large harp that she realized where her feet took her.

The harp was beautiful. White and gold, with taut golden strings, it sat on a dais in the center of the room, a room created to capture and move sound. She sat on the bench and pulled the instrument to her shoulder. Reaching across the strings she began to play, her sorrows bled into the mournful tune. The tempo was slow and sad, the end notes were held, long and soft. Every line, every sound, the entire melody was imbued with sorrow so deep and cutting. She just let the notes cascade around her, rising from her finger tips to high crescendos then falling back to mournful weeping cries.

For an hour the music filtered softly through the halls of the Homely House, the cascade of notes gently roused the sleeping inhabitants and called them to gather and listen. Thorin was the first to rise and follow the sounds of the ethereal music. It was not the serene music of an elf, and yet it was also not the music of a dwarf. He stopped just within the shadows of the music room and found Rylee on the small dais playing the harp. Fili and Kili joined him seconds later. Kili was about to go to her when Thorin stopped him.

Rylee didn't know where the words came from, she just knew that they were the right ones and that they went with the melody that she was playing. With tears on her face, she swallowed the pain, and she began to sing;

_In the march of time we oft get lost,_

_'tween the days of dew and falls first frost,_

_Swept away in the new light of day_

_When the trials of life get in the way,_

_'Tis not till the end that we count the cost._

She lived her life in the shadows of regret,

Pining for the love of her One never met,

This was her lovers lament and these were her unsung wishes;

**_ A home filled with warmth,_**

**_ With family and wonder,_**

**_ A fire on the hearth,_**

**_ In the arms of her lover._**

_There is love unsung on a sea of sorrows,_

_Where the end of today darkens our tomorrows,_

_We shall ride the tides of a life bereft,_

_And pay the price for the loves we left,_

_There is no reward when the sadness borrows._

Forever off fighting those Dragons and Fires,

No time or place for her dreams or desires,

This was her lovers lament and these were her unsung wishes;

_ ** A joy in her heart, **_

**_ A song of great rapture,_**

**_ A babe on the breast,_**

_** A home full of laughter.**_

She lived her life in the shadows of regret,

Pining for the love of her One never met,

This was her lovers lament and these were her unsung wishes.

Forever off fighting those Dragons and Fires,

No time or place for her dreams or desires,

This was her lovers lament and these were her unsung wishes.

She finished playing the melody and lowered the harp gently to the floor. Using her sleeve she wiped the tears away from her eyes.

"You sing of sadness with the profundity of one who has known great loss," Thorin said softly as he stepped forward from the edge of the room. She looked up in surprise as she looked around the room and saw the entire company of dwarves, and around twenty elves gathered watching her. Gandalf and Elrond were among them. She was struck by the sadness on their faces. "Where did you learn that song?"

She shook her head and could not answer. She didn't know where it came from. Kili stepped forward and pulled her into his arms, she sobbed against his chest. "Sh-sh Rylee, it's okay, it will be okay."

"It is Rylee's song. Nienna sang it about her when she died in the War of Wrath," Gandalf said, his voice filled with awe and raw emotion as he stepped forward, clearing his throat. Rylee just held Kili tighter, not willing to let him go. She didn't care where the song came from. She just felt the truth in it. "It is the same song I heard when I watched Rylee fall from the dragon Ancalagon and the same song I dreamed before Rylee showed up at Bilbo's home."

"You think she was channeling Nienna?" Elrond said in surprise.

"Well she is gifted with Nienna's Grace," Gandalf told him with an odd look. "Like Nienna, Rylee is filled with the deepest compassion. She feels things deeper than most. Pain, love, fear, loss."

"Rylee, why do you sing that? Why such sadness?" Kili asked her, his heart wrenched as his One clutched him ever tighter. He rubbed her back, holding her against him. Fili came to their side and wrapped his arms around both.

"Let's take her to our quarters, give her a little privacy," Fili said as he helped Kili take her back to their sleeping quarters.

Thorin followed closely behind them, he watched Rylee carefully. She was not one for emotional outbursts like the one he just witnessed and that song was filled with such torment. Whatever brought the song to the surface was brought on by such pain that she could not contain or control it. The way she clutched Kili to her, the way she allowed Fili to lead them away, she loved them deeply. If something happened to them she would be lost. It was then he realized that she knew whose fate she needed to change.

"Which one is it, Rylee?" Thorin asked as they entered the courtyard. The others were still far behind them, so they had a moment of privacy. "Who do you have to save?"

She looked up at him, her gray eyes haunted, the white sparks were dim, washed out, "All three."

"What?" Fili asked, rearing away from her, looking at his uncle.

"If I fail, I lose all three of you, your line of Durin will be lost," Rylee said, her lip quivering, her eyes welling back up with tears. She closed her eyes. No longer sobbing, just letting the tears run. Her words echoed through Thorin's heart, "If I fail, I lose everyone I love."

"Well then, Lukhdel," Thorin said, deeply saddened. He was just told that he was one of three destined to die unless the young woman before him could change their fates. He was not sure what hit him worse, the idea that he was already pegged for death, or the idea that he would not get to see Rylee raise a family with his reckless nephew. That he would not get to see his sister again, or see if Fili would find a One of his own. Even the loss of returning home and seeing it prosper under his hands, did not compare to the loss of his family line. "We will just have to make sure you don't fail."

"So if you know who, do-," Fili started, terrified of even asking, "Do you know when?"

"No," Rylee said wiping away her tears. She rested her head on Kili's shoulder, burrowing her head into his neck and hair. "I won't know until just before it happens. If I am lucky I will get a week's warning, if not, then it could be mere hours."

"The dreams are only going to get worse aren't they?" Thorin asked. An uncomfortable feeling rose within him as he realized that her welfare meant a great deal to him, to see her in this much pain and heartbreak bothered him greatly. He just found her in this life, the girl he helped to raise, in the month since she joined them he found her to be everything and more than he could have hoped in his charge. He did not want to die, to do so would mean not being able to see her again. That thought alone was unbearable. He wanted his family to grow and prosper, and he wanted to watch it happen.

"Aye," She sighed as Kili began to rub the muscles of her back. He was her comfort, her solace. He was the only one who could ease the pain that lived in her heart.

"So what do we do in the mean time?" Fili asked feeling disheartened. They had faced several trials already on this trip and not once did he worry much about the possibility of death. Now all of a sudden those near brushes with death seemed much more profound. He did not want to die, he was not ready for death. He looked at Rylee, trying her hardest to stop her tears, and could not believe the burden that she was being forced to carry. It was up to her to save them. He finally understood Kili's frustration. While she was a War Maiden, she was also a Dwarrowdam, it was their job to keep her safe and treasure her like the precious jewel that she was. It should not have to fall on her shoulders to protect them. It just felt so wrong.

"We live," Rylee said almost angrily, Thorin watched as a fierce spark lit her dark grey eyes. "We live each day fully, as though it was our last, we fight to the end and we enjoy every moment of it. You will live as you have always done Fili and I will do whatever I must when the time comes. I refuse to lose any of you."

"As long as I get to keep you as my little sister, I will fight. We will all fight." Fili said with determination.

"Does this mean you still want to marry me?" Kili whispered, he refused to even think about the possibility of his death, he knew that it was likely since she woke from a nightmare with his name on her lips. It didn't really scare him. He was on a dangerous quest, the possibility of dying was obvious, it was what made it an adventure. He feared losing her, his One. He feared she would push him away again.

"Of course!" Rylee's eyes widened in horror, she never wanted him to doubt her feelings for him. If anything she wanted to marry him more than before. What time she had with him was precious. There was no way she would waste it. "You did not think that you could escape me that easily?"

"Why would I want to escape, Rylee?" Kili grinned down at her, then he winked at her, "I have unsung wishes to fulfill."

"Oh!" Her eyes widened at the thought. Kili, a hearth fire, a home, a family, a babe on her breast and him, it all started and ended with him. All of the things she never even dared to say out loud, not even to herself, he wanted to give to her. She did not think it possible for her love for him to grow, but in that moment it did. He pulled her into a tight hug and kissed her gently, softly.

"That's enough you two," Thorin said shaking his head at the pair, they were insatiable. The rest of the company arrived and were watching them like hawks, all of them wearing a smile of some sort. "Everyone go back to your beds. You too Kili, I am going to escort your betrothed home."

"But-," Kili protested, holding her tighter against him. How was he to comfort her and protect her when she was so far away? Thorin shot him a dark look that stopped him dead in his tracks.

"Morning is only a few hours away Kili and I plan on making you weep in training." Rylee grinned up at him, trying to lighten the mood from the somber effect of her song. His eyebrow quirked as he realized that she was taunting him, "The only way you will stand a chance is if you rest."

"We shall see about that," Kili growled, he dropped a quick kiss on her lips and stepped reluctantly away from his intended. "I will see you soon, my love."

Thorin took her arm and led her away. Winding their way through the corridors, they walked in silence until they were outside in the streets of Rivendell, then the mood seemed to change. Her warmth that she shared with Kili was gone, and she suddenly seemed sad and remorseful.

"I am sorry, Ugshar," Rylee said, her voice was dark with the stress that she was feeling.

"Why? You have nothing to be sorry for." Thorin argued. His voice was much harsher than he intended it to be and he winced inwardly.

"Do I not?" She asked him, somber and serious. Gone was the playful teasing tone that she had for Kili. "It was not wise to tell them or you that you are destined to die."

"We are all destined to die Rylee," Thorin reminded her soberly. His tone matched hers in almost every way. "You did no harm in reminding them that they are not invincible. They are both so young and have not experienced much more than a few adventures and those were simple expeditions. They do not know what we do. Neither of them has experienced war and death to the degree that we have."

"But it does them no good to go forward paralyzed with fear either. I am battle hardened and I am hasty to speak when I should hold my tongue." Rylee countered with a note of frustration. "And you seem more stoic and somber than ever before. I did that and it is unforgivable."

"As King of Durin's Folk and the Heir of Erebor I cannot allow myself to become attached. I must keep my distance or I will risk all of my decisions being colored by unnecessary emotions." Thorin shot her a glare. She as a former queen knew this better than most. She also knew the cost, the personal and emotional cost that went with being a leader.

"Is that truly what you believe Ugshar? What of your own happiness? What of finding a love of your own and enjoying your life? That must count for something?" Rylee stopped and grabbed his wrist pulling him to look at her. Her brow was furrowed in shock and confusion and frustration. She met his eye with a look of deep worry. "All of us need attachment to someone in order to keep ourselves sane in the dark moments, Thorin. Otherwise we risk becoming tainted by the evils of the world. It took me more than seven years to realize that I needed friends to keep me from becoming as dark as the dragons I am hunting. I had to find my One to learn this. People like you and I need people around us to ground us and remind us of whom we really are."

"Am I truly the elder in this relationship?" Thorin looked at her in awe. She seemed so wise, was she still channeling Nienna? Or was it Mahal and Eru? When had his little girl grown so much that she became so sensible? She was often so reckless and spirited that he often forgot that she was very astute and observant of others. He shook his head in wonder. "You have lived just seven years in this realm, yet you sound wiser than even Gandalf who has lived ages."

"Did I tell you that part of my quest is to live fully?" Rylee quirked her eyebrow at him, hands on her hips. "Perhaps you should also follow this advice and start enjoying your days. Somewhere in there you need to make time for your own happiness. You need to allow for love, affection, family. I understand that you have to play the part as King. Truly I do, I know that you have to make decisions and take on responsibilities that no one else will, but you have two nephews to help shoulder those responsibilities. You have Balin who is ready and willing to be an advisor to you until the bitter end and an entire Company of Dwarves ready to stand at your back when times get tough. I don't want to lose you to death Ugshar, but I don't want to lose you to evil either."

"What evil do you speak of Rylee?" Thorin said becoming defensive, thinking about the gold madness that tended to run in his blood line. It was the one thing he feared most. He never told her of his family's weakness to the gold and gems that filled the Lonely Mountain so what did she know of it? What could she possibly know of the evils of the world? Beyond war and dragons, what could she have experienced of true darkness?

"Morgoth had his fingers in everything, whether the Valar sent him into the Timeless Void or not, there will always be evil in this world." Rylee said, she took both of Thorin's hands in her own. "Sauron learned of evil on the heels of Morgoth, his shadow is still present in this world and I myself have seen the most horrible things. I know that there are temptations out there for us all, some we are more susceptible to than others. Think of your greatest fear. That is where you are at your weakest. Think of those you love and would protect with your very life. That is where you are at your strongest."

He looked at her for a long moment, and then he realized something. With every encounter with a dragon, or a werewolf, or Balrog, Orc, or Warg, she was dealing with the evil of Morgoth. Of anyone he ever met, she touched evil more times than anyone else. She was speaking of her own fears, of her own temptations to give in to evil. Her greatest fear was spiders. He remembered her story and how she shrugged off the ending to that tale, "What really happened with Ungoliant?"

"I was deep within her web, I had no way out, and she bit me. Her vile poison still runs through my veins," Rylee said, her voice was thick with fear. Her eyes darkened with the memory and Thorin could tell that she was still haunted by it. "She could speak you know? She told me that I was unloved. That I had nothing and nobody. I was alone and that I would be forever. It was my very first life. I had only been here for a few months and already discovered the prejudices of people. As hard as I looked, I could not find you, Olorin had returned to Aman. Galadriel was busy living her own life, Jovina, my hostess and friend in both my first and second lives, she was fighting off the evils of the world in her own way. I knew nothing of the temptations of evil, so when Ungoliant told me that my quest was fruitless, I nearly succumbed. All I had to do was give in to her venom, and I would feel no more pain, see no more death, it would all go away."

"What made you fight back?" Thorin asked, he could hear the wistfulness in her voice as she spoke of the temptation and he realized that it was one that she still fought every day.

"I heard a voice within the darkness, it reminded me of the light in my life. The voice said "Do not give up Amrâlimê, find your light in the darkness, I wait for you." The voice gave me shivers and made me feel warm inside. It set off a reaction within me, it reminded me that you were still out there waiting for me to find you. That Olorin and Galadriel were as close as I needed them to be, regardless of real distance. That Mikhaul loved me as did Mahal," Rylee whispered softly. "The voice reminded me that every day is a fight worth winning. So I released the catch on my whip, it was the only movement I could make, and I pushed the trigger for the blades. I was lucky to be wearing my mithril Armor, because the Elven clothing I was wearing at the time was destroyed. But so was the web. Once I was free, I was able to grab my axes and I spoke a singular command. I asked for light, blinding Ungoliant just long enough to use my Axe to get free."

"Why didn't you tell the truth while in camp?" Thorin asked in confusion. It was a more complete version than what she told them.

"No one likes to reveal their weaknesses. To let others see what lies in the darkness. I still have remnants of her venom inside of me and because of it I can feel the darkness of Sauron's creatures. I still hear her, Thorin. Every time I feel fear or get injured, I feel her tighten her web around me. I hear her voice asking me to join her in the darkness," Rylee whispered, her eyes were downcast. She was reluctant to show him the guilt in her eyes. "I know you hate when I use magic Thorin, but I would rather tell you about that than tell you that even after everything you taught me, I am still a weak and scared little girl."

"You have never been weak Rylee," Thorin said pulling her into his arms. "We may disagree on many things, but I have never doubted your strength or resilience. You are stronger than even you will give yourself credit for. Your fight with darkness does not need to consume you. I am here for you. We all are."

"And I am here for you when you fight your battles Ugshar. I will be here when you need me most. Promise me that you will open yourself up to the light in the world." Rylee wrapped her arms around him, holding him close to her. "You don't have to tell me of your darkness, just promise me that you will surround yourself with people who can pull you out when it comes to call."

"The gold madness is mine, Dragon Sickness, the line of Durin is tainted with it." Thorin whispered back, he could not believe he was sharing this with Rylee. He was supposed to be the one to offer her support and guidance to scare away the enemies in the darkness. As a teacher and mentor he was meant to be wise and as her Godfather he was meant to be the strong one. "My grandfather went mad with it, to the point that it strained the relationship with the elves and men that surrounded our mountain. So much so that when we needed the Elves most, they turned their back on us, because of something that they thought was simply greed. There are uncountable treasures in Erebor, and I fear that upon reaching it and seeing it, I will lose my mind like he did."

"Then you need to find someone you trust above all others who can reason with you, or even smack you out of it." Rylee told him, fire flashing in her eyes. "I didn't even know that there was such a sickness, but then evil does come in every form, even that of a spider."

Thorin said softly, "As my protégé and my equal, you have the right to hit me upside the head if I start to go gold crazy. You are likely the only one who would stand your ground against me."

"You would allow me to strike you?" Rylee looked at him as though he was truly crazy. She turned and continued to walk toward the Armory and her house beyond it. "You are a king, it would be treason for me to hit you Ugshar."

"No it would not, you are my equal, it might be considered an act of war, but it would not be treason for you to hit me," Thorin told her softly. He bumped her shoulder like Fili often did. "Considering that you are a queen in your own right."

"I never wanted to be a queen Thorin. If it were possible I would ask you to take it off, take it away." Rylee sighed in frustration. "For you, being King under the Mountain is a responsibility you were born to, you have understood your role all of your life. Your status is a mantle. You have a realm and a people. For me, it was a means to an end, it was a failed effort to unite the children of Ilúvatar. Now I am here ages later, still wearing a crown in the name of three still divided factions. I don't even have a realm to rule over, so really I am an exiled queen, if anything."

"The War of Wrath was won, thanks to your actions. You may not have lived to see it, but it was a victory for all of the races of Ilúvatar. In fact, it was one of the few last great alliances. If you require a kingdom reclaim Moria, and become her Queen," Thorin advised her. "When we are done with our quest, you take Kili and whatever men you need and you take back Moria. You would be the greatest Queen to live in this age. Wise and strong."

"That was theoretical and you know it. I do not want or need a kingdom. Besides you know as well as I do that Dwarves would never follow a Queen, they much prefer a King. Give it to Fili or Kili instead, they would rule it more wisely that I ever would." Rylee scoffed at him, waving away the entire idea of Moria and being a true Queen. She continued, on silent for a long time, her thoughts turned once again to her quest, her responsibilities, and her fears, "What if I fail my quest, Thorin? What happens if You, Fili, and Kili die? I would have nothing to hold me here. I would want death above all else."

"You are to change the hands of fate," Thorin reminded her gently, trying to assuage her guilt in the matter.

"Aye," Rylee sighed, she felt very sad, and entirely frustrated. "How do I do that when I don't even know when it is to happen? I have killed dragons, helped kill the four worst dragons. I fear that since this quest isn't about the dragon I will fail. If I am not here for the dragon, what am I here to prevent? And how do I prevent the deaths of the three most important people in my life?"

"Am I really that important to you Rylee?" Thorin asked her quietly as they reached her door.

"Thorin! You are my Adad!" Rylee looked at him in complete shock and horror. Tears welled in her eyes once more. "You are the one who told me to stop calling you that! You are as important to me as Mahal, you always have been! You once made me feel as though I was special and wanted. The time I spent with you was the most precious time I had. It was the part of the day I lived for. I hated it when you couldn't be there! It tore me apart when you pushed me away!"

"I should never have told you that, I was wrong," Thorin whispered as the old heartache filled his chest. In error, he took Eru's words to heart and pushed Rylee away, telling her to stop calling him Adad. When she did as he asked he fought against himself, one half of him telling himself that he was right to push her away. The other half telling him that she was his little girl and that she still needed him.

Rylee blinked back the tears, it was as close to an apology as she was going to get from him. She lost hope long ago that he would ever again call her nâtha. For him to admit that he was wrong, it was a big step for such a proud Dwarf and she would take what she could get. "I have always admired you Adad and since I have come here to your time I have loved being part of your Company. Though you are tempestuous and a little jaded, overall you are a great leader, a good friend, and a strong Dwarf."

"Tempestuous and jaded, huh?" Thorin shook his head, the cheek of the lass.

"Aye, you are a paradox. Someday you will have to tell me why you mistrust the elves as you do." Rylee said softly, her hand on the door handle. "Most are wise and have the best of intentions. I have met many who are just and kind. You would like Galadriel, she is beautiful both inside and out. I admit that I have also met some Elves who are not just or kind, but they are few in number. There are a few that I actually dislike completely, but they are the exceptions to the rule."

"I think that is another story for another time Rylee," Thorin smiled and kissed her on the cheek, "Morning will come soon and neither of us have had proper rest. Get thee to your bed lass, or you will never fulfill your promise to Kili."


	23. Spontaneity

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Chapter 23

Spontaneity

June 9

Rylee whipped Kili's arse in training, the first round at least, the second round lasted much longer and Kili just scraped out a lucky slap to Rylee's shoulder. They were both breathing heavily when Thorin and Dwalin rushed them and they had to work together to fight off the seasoned warriors. Kili was bested by Thorin and Ryle scrapped out a win against Dwalin. Leaving her against Thorin, who won but not until she had him beaten, battered, and bruised in the process.

Rylee was staring up at the white clouds in the blue sky, breathing hard while Thorin held his sword to her throat. "Damn, I thought I had you with that knee swipe."

"If it is any consolation I will be in pain for the next three days due to you." Thorin growled at her, removing his sword. The lass fought dirty, she was a fiery opponent and went all out when she sparred. There were no half measures. His pride swelled in him as he offered his hand to help her up. She amazed him at every turn when it came to her training. He thought about her revelations from the night before and realized that she hid a lot behind her tough exterior. She was as vulnerable as any other female he met, she just didn't show it. Where others would play off of it and use their softness as a lure, Rylee hid hers and denied even her own desires. Giving in to Kili was new for her, no wonder she was so afraid, she was opening herself up for a lot of hurt.

She waved him away, "I think I am just gonna lie here for a few hours, at least until my shoulders and arse stop hurting."

"Unfortunately you have no choice, Kili has made plans for you today, and it will be a short day. Fili and I need to see Kili this afternoon to make arrangements for the ceremony," Thorin told her his hand still held in offering. She reached up and took it, and he hauled her to her feet. She rose with a groan, rolling her shoulders. Thorin smirked at her, "I would not have won that if you were actually in the throes of battle. There were a few hits that you held back."

"Yes, well, there were a few times there that I had to remind myself we were training." Rylee admitted as she watched Kili and Dwalin walk over from the sidelines to meet them. "I go a little bloodthirsty when in battle situations. Your little surprise attack threw me into a bit of a blood rage."

Kili watched her brush away the dust and dirt from the training field, she was wearing fitted black leather breaches and a thin royal blue leather tunic that she let fall over her breaches to her upper thighs. Kili loved seeing her in blue, the color made her dark red hair light like a low burning ember. He loved seeing her hands brush against her clothes, imagining they were his hands lovingly touching her body. He brushed the thoughts away and pulled himself back to pay attention to her conversation with Thorin.

"I saw that happen in the Orc attack when the Warg knocked you off of Mikhaul." Thorin told her with a grin. "You have quite the war cry. Took him down with both blades."

"You were knocked off of Mikhaul?" Kili asked in frustration, "Will no one tell me what happened during that attack? I only saw you with the whip!"

"What is there to tell? A Warg knocked me off of Mikhaul and I took it out with my axes because it was too close to use my whip. I ran at it and planted both of my axes into its skull, it was a quick kill. An Orc came at me right after, I split it open and took its head. Then Mikhaul came back around to pick me up and we went off to kill some more Orcs." Rylee said nonchalantly watching in fascination as a spectrum of emotion flickered across Kili's face, from momentary horror, to pride and satisfaction. There was even a flash of pain and anger, "It wasn't anything really, took less than three minutes from start to finish. Lots of blood though. My leather may never be the same again."

He stood there glaring at her for a long moment. Rylee started to become concerned that he was going to just get more and more overprotective, to the point that it would drive them apart. She furrowed her brow and said softly, "Kili, I am a fighter, a skilled combatant, and I will stand beside you in a battle, not behind you. If I am behind you, it is to protect your back. I don't know if I could just stand by and watch."

"It's not that, I would prefer you by my side actually, we fight quite well together." Kili said rolling his eyes. He got over all of that while she was in the forge. He wanted her beside him in battle, as long as she was with him, he would be happy. "I thought you were amazing with the whip. I am angrier that I didn't get to see it, and everyone keeps rubbing it in. I swear Rylee, I am okay with the fact that you are a War Maiden."

"Really? There was this one time in the First Age during an attack by Ancalagon the Black we went up against several Balrogs. I lost both my axes and my whip for a bit and I had to use a discarded long sword. The damn thing was so heavy that I nearly took my own foot off. Imagine, me stumbling around with that fiery beast on my tail, trying to lift this massive sword." Rylee told the tall tale. Horror was written on Kili's face as Rylee stumbled around in re-enactment. She looked like an absolute fool, shrugging her shoulder as she brushed off the truth. Thorin just barely kept from laughing as he realized that she was fibbing for the sake of a joke. "And when I finally did, I nearly cut Durin in half! I gave the sword to Elorin, I wonder if he still has it."

"He does!" Elorin called from the sidelines where he sat with the others. He could see the teasing smile that lingered on Rylee's lips and realized that she was purposely telling the story wrong. He decided to play along, his own smirk on his face, "I still don't see how you used it Rylee, that one sword is heavier than both of my axes."

Rylee watched the astonished look on Kili's face turn to horror as he imagined her with a massive sword trying to kill a Balrog. Then she started to laugh, "I jest Kili, it was a single troll and I took off three of its fingers before I found my whip in the foray and beheaded it. It was a good sharp sword, just very unwieldy."

"Rylee, we need to work on your sense of humor," Kili said with a groan, he took her hand, "That was not funny."

"Speak for yourself lad" Dwalin said pointing at the sidelines where Fili, Ori, and Bofur were in the throes of laughter. Even Thorin was wearing a grin. "The lass took you for a ride."

"You should learn to read her tells Kili," Thorin chuckled softly meeting Kili's eyes, "she rarely lies and you can always tell when she does. I knew that she was joking from the start."

"Really?" Rylee asked in surprise. Her eyebrows shot up in question, then furrowed in frustration, "That explains so much!"

"What do you mean?" Kili asked looking at Thorin. Dwalin looked at Thorin as well and then at Rylee, his sharp eyes thoughtful and analytical.

"Don't forget Kili, I need you back at quarters by late afternoon, and you are both expected for dinner at sunset," Thorin grinned at them all and turned away not willing to share his secrets, "Elorin, might I see that sword?"

"So, uh, Kili?" Rylee asked acting suddenly as innocent as possible, as Elorin, Dwalin, and Thorin went into the Armory to take a look at the great longsword. "What are we doing today?"

"After that stunt?" Kili growled at her darkly, "I am putting you to work Woman."

"As long as it's not in a kitchen, then that is just fine with me." Rylee said with a completely serious face. She was up for anything, but cooking would just be a bad time for everyone. "The only thing I can do in the kitchen is stir stuff, and even then, it's bad. Really, really bad."

"I promise it won't be cooking, but if you ever pull a stunt like that again, I will consider making you cook something for punishment," Kili grinned at her. As much as he tried, he could not imagine her in the kitchen. He smirked and looked at her for a moment as an idea for their third courting day came to mind, he would talk to Elihara.

"Well it would be at the loss of your own teeth, Kili." Rylee countered with a small smile. Bofur and Bombur started to chuckle at her self-depreciating remarks, "I have burned down Nienna's kitchen more than once. Everything I make turns to stone. Or half cooked. Bone dry. Blackened. Ash would taste better."

"You really don't like to cook at all do you?" Kili asked her, mildly amused. They were walking away from the group, who were still laughing at Rylee describing her cooking.

"Of course not, and cooking hates me as much as I hate it. I would rather return to the depths of the Thangorodrim than cook, really!" Rylee told him, she was completely serious. There was no task she hated more. "I really hope you know how to cook Kili, otherwise we are going to starve to death."

"We won't starve Rylee, I promise you," Kili said laughing. It was a truth, his mother taught both him and his brother to cook. He was better in the kitchen than Fili was, though his brother would never admit it.

"That's good, because I like food."Rylee told him with a grin. "So where are we going?"

"Not very far," Kili assured her, leading her towards the edge of the training field. "I thought that today we could finish making your arrows and maybe work on our Marriage Clasps. I already talked to Elorin and he is giving us the forge for the day."

"You arranged a day in the Armory? Really?" Rylee asked in surprise. She was prepared for some sort of flowery and feminine filled courtship thing. When she was courted by Thranduil he took her to the Eldar feasts or for a carriage ride or for a romantic dinner. She was prepared for being bored out of her mind.

"That is okay, isn't it? I mean we could do something else, but since we both enjoy creating things out of metal, I thought-," Kili said wondering if perhaps he read her wrong and she wanted something more frilly for a courting day. She was pretty simple in her likes and dislikes. Other than her need to bathe regularly and looking amazing in a Dwarvish half dress he never saw her engage in the usual feminine activities. They passed Thorin and Dwalin as they left the Armory, Elorin followed closely behind them carrying the largest sword Kili ever saw made by man or elf. His heart nearly stopped, Rylee used that? Against a troll?

"It is perfect!" Rylee interrupted his thoughts, a massive grin spreading across her face. She hauled him against her and stood on her toes to kiss his cheek. She was completely ignoring the sudden cries of shock as the others looked at the massive weapon being wielded by the Elven-Dwarf. All of her attention was focused on Kili and the gift that he was giving her, "I am so happy, Kili."

"You are deflecting," Kili accused her with a chuckle.

"Me? Never!"Rylee's eyes widened in feigned surprise, she gave him a smirk and shrugged. Kili's eyes narrowed on that one singular gesture, but he said nothing. "You know as well as I do that Fili is going to try to use that sword, right? We can stay and watch if you want. It should prove quite amusing."

They turned back to the training grounds and sure enough Fili was trying to hold the massive sword in both hands and after doing a small sequence of maneuvers he had to lower the weapon. Thorin, Dwalin, Fili, and Dori had the best success with the sword. Kili laughed as he watched several of the others each take a turn at trying to swing the great weapon, stumbling around under the weight. He looked down at her and whispered, "You know they are going to want you to prove that you can lift it right?"

"Like you don't want to try?" Rylee teased him lightly.

"Maybe a little," Kili admitted with a small smile.

They didn't have much of a choice, the entire company joined them at the edge of the training field with the sword and it was handed to Rylee, who shook her head and stepped back. "I really hate that sword regardless of how well made it is. It is unwieldy and ridiculously heavy."

"Come on, Rylee," Fili cajoled her with a grin. "Stop dancing around the vein and prove that you are no glass dwarf."

"A glass dwarf Fili? Really? Fine, step back," She said as she rolled her eyes, shook her head, and took the handle of the sword. She took her stance and lifted the sword. Her muscles were burning as she performed a two handed overhand strike into an upward thrust maneuver before dropping the great sword back to a fools guard. She grunted at each stop, as the sword really was much too long and heavy for her small frame. She was breathing and sweating heavily as she handed the sword to Kili, every muscle in her body was shaking under the exertion. "I really hate that sword."

"Not bad," Fili said with a grin. He winked at her and said, "For a girl."

"Ag zasasmaki rathkh-hund," Rylee quipped back with a grin of her own, her grey eyes flashed with white sparks, raising her fist threateningly at Fili. She was teasing of course, she would prefer throwing rocks at him than give him a knuckle sandwich.

"Now, now, no need to come to blows," Kili said as he took the sword and completed the same maneuvers and then added several more just to prove to himself that he could. He was astounded by how heavy the sword was. It was not long before his muscles were burning with the effort and sweat beaded on his brow. How Rylee could even complete the few moves that she did was beyond him, she was so small. "I see why you gave it to Elorin, he has both height and breadth to wield it, whereas you definitely do not. Let's go love, the day is wasting and we only have a few hours."

He handed the blade back to its master and took Rylee's hand. He didn't have to say another word. They walked quickly away before they got called back to the others again. The moment they walked into the Armory, Rylee locked the heavy doors. Kili looked at her in askance. Thorin had already warned them against locked doors and intimacy before the wedding. Rylee shifted uncomfortably, "I trust no one with what I am about to show you. I already showed you some of my magic but what I am about to show you is ancient blood magic. I want to share it with you."

"Are you certain Rylee?" Kili asked. He was both terrified and honored that she would be willing to show him something so significant.

"I want you to know me Kili, and this," Rylee said looking around with a wave of her hand, "This is a significant part of who and what I am. If you cannot accept this part of me then there is no sense in getting married."

"Show me," Kili said. He took a seat on the bench where she told him to sit and waited as she stoked the fire in the forge.

She didn't need to use the billows or most of the instruments to get the forge up to temperature. Once she started chanting it took very little time for her to start the smelting process, she gathered different metals, including one bright hunk of mithril that she carried in her pack. It didn't take much of the metal to change the others. He noticed that the main emotion that she spoke with was one of passion and of love. There were others, pain, hate, rage, and sorrow, but they were always balanced with positive emotion.

He watched in awe as the emotions she described the day before flit across her face. The initial trepidation as she started which escalated into a driving need, the white light in her eyes flashed and flared as she worked through each step. Once she had the metals melted and mixed she took one of her daggers and made a small cut on her left hand, just below the middle finger, one singular drop of blood fell into the vat and instead of burning up in the heat of the molten metal it was sucked into it, absorbed, and the color was changed. Still she sang her song, imbuing the metal with emotion and power. Finally she poured the metal into a long bar.

Still singing she manipulated the temperature, to the point that the metal became immediately workable. The passion in her face flared as she worked with the metal. Kili watched in amazement as the bright white sparks in Rylee's eyes, brightened feverishly in the heat of the forge. He watched the passion in her face as she worked the metal. Her movements were precise. She instinctively knew when the metal was the right temperature. Each strike of the various ballpein hammers on the metal was concise and measured for a particular effect on the metal. It took her no time to create her arrowheads, each one intricately made, with runes for speed and accuracy written into them. If she stood them on their ends they would look like spiraled three sided pyramids, made specifically to spin and twist deep through the armor of her enemies.

He watched as once again she tempered the metal and allowed it to bleed and once she was done she oiled each tip and buffed it until the triple twisting arrowheads shone like bloodied talons in the light of the forge. Finally she released her spell and stumbled back in exhaustion. Kili caught her and held her against him as her entire body shook from the exertion. He was worried until she looked up at him with a small smile, one of satisfaction. It was not quite one of bliss, but she was happy. "That was beautiful, Rylee, you are beautiful."

She turned in his arms and kissed him, softly, "Thank you Kili. If this is what sharing a forge with you will be like, you may join me every day."

"When I build our home, I will be sure to build us a magnificent forge to go with it." He whispered, loving the feel of her body against his. She was flushed and warm, her eyes sparkled brilliantly, and he wanted nothing more than to turn her moment of satisfaction to one of completion. He wanted to give that to her. "I don't know how much work we will actually do, because seeing you like this Rylee-"

He crushed her against him, molding her body to his, so she could feel how much he wanted her. His hands kneaded into her bottom lifting her against him, she wrapped her legs around his hips as he pressed her against the workbench. He nuzzled his nose against her ear, burying his face in the tendrils of her soft hair that came loose from her braid, framing her face and neck. She moaned softly at the intimacy, arching against him. Her reactions thrilled him and he promised her, "Two more nights Rylee, then I make you mine."

Her hands brushed over his arms, settling on his shoulders before twining gently into his hair. He kissed and nipped his way to her mouth, where she met his kiss with equal fervor. Their tongues mated feverishly, brushing, stroking, and gliding together as they yearned for deeper intimacy. His hands ghosted up from her beautiful behind to her hips and over the sensitive flesh of her waist, seeking the softness of her breasts. He could feel her nipples harden at his touch through the soft blue leather. Kili knew they had to stop, Thorin would tear them both apart if they took this too far, as would Mahal. He really didn't want to think about that, but Mahal was her father and Kili would never disrespect Mahal by disrespecting her in such a way. She mewled softly against his mouth in protest when he pulled away.

"I want you now, Kili. I need-, I want-," Rylee gasped clutching him to her. She was burning for him. Yearning for things she did not fully understand, she only knew that he was the only one who could fulfill her desires. Her frustration grew as she knew that they could not give in to the temptation, not yet, she knew this but it was so hard to let him go.

"I know. I know my love, soon," Kili said, chuckling softly. She was the one to set the terms of their wedding, and here she was the one who was too impatient to wait. "First I must court you and make sure that you cannot live without me, because once I have you Rylee, I will never let you go."

He unhooked her legs from around him and set her feet back onto the floor. With one last soft unhurried kiss he tempered his desire for more contact and unlocked the armory door. They set to work finishing her arrows and working on other things. He could watch her work all day and never get bored of the expressions on her face or the lines of her body. He wished for a moment that he could draw like Ori, so he could capture her in motion. They spent the remainder of the day in the forge working either together on her arrows or beside each other on their clasps. Together they made a couple dozen arrows for her bow, laughing and talking through each and every step of the process.

When they were done with the arrows they separated at the workbench to work on their own projects. Kili used some of the red mithril to make Rylee's braid clasps, knowing that it would look best on her. Molding and flattening out thin pieces of the deep red metal and slowly cutting, curling, and welding them into place. As tempting as it was to peek at what she was working on, he did not. He could wait for the surprise.

Rylee too was thrilled with their time spent together. When they moved apart to work on their clasps, she felt no pressure from him to share what she was creating for him, and though she was curious she gave him his space. She loved pleasant surprises, they were so rare, and she just wanted to let it happen. They talked while they worked about anything and everything they could think of. Kili shared some of his favorite legends with her, two of which she countered with the true tale of the legend. One of which she was able to color with her own memories and thoughts, she made the old story come to life in his mind.

He told her about Ered Luin, about how Thorin, Balin, Dwalin, and several other elders were the chief organizers of delving into the old Mine of Belegost from the eastern slopes. They sought entrance into the ancient halls that were destroyed ages before in the fall of Beleriand, to see if there were any salvageable remains that the Dwarves of Erebor could claim as their home. It didn't take long, delving deep into old caverns they found that while there were still ores to be mined from the mountains, the old mansions were lost. They mined the salvageable marble and stone from the old halls and built stone houses and halls into the mountainside. Over the years the old mines prospered and the mining village grew into a prosperous city. The only difference was that their homes were not sheltered within the mountain, instead peppering the slopes of the foothills and mountainside.

Rylee told him how she often visited Belegost during her third life and the treasures and sights to be found within. She told him of the people she met there and how many of the folk that lived within those halls were saved certain death because of the vision of an Elf friend. Galadriel foresaw the fall of the great city and told Durin. Durin, knowing that Galadriel was trustworthy and that her foresight was true, advised the reigning Lord of Belegost, Aurvang, to start evacuating the residents of the great city to Khazad-Dum. Thanks to Galadriel's amicable relationship with the dwarves, Rylee and Durin were able to convince Aurvang that the people should at least be given the choice. The majority of the Broadbeam clans-people, though afraid, took the advice and fled to the safety of the Misty Mountains.

Kili then told her about some of the adventures he went on with Fili, Ori, and Gloin's son, Gimli. From skipping lessons with Balin to go hunting, or tricks and pranks they played on each other. "Gimli was so mad he ran down the hill after us and took a stumble. You should have seen him Rylee, a miniature Gloin, covered in cow dung rolling arse over tea kettle down the slope. He landed face first in a bees nest. When we finally pulled him out he was covered in red sting wounds and his beard was coated in honey. He really thought there was such a thing as cow tipping!"

Rylee tried to picture a younger version of Gloin in such state and started to chuckle. "I should say that was horrible, but really it is ingenious."

"That was only the beginning," Kili laughed and continued with his story, "We had to go right through the village to get to his house, so everyone saw him and smelt him. He absolutely reeked. By the time we got him home the honey was dried and hardened, he was forced to have a bath to get the scent off of him and still the honey stayed in his beard. His mother spent hours pouring oil into it to get the mess out. His beard glistened for a week from all the oil poured into it."

"So he spent a week with a shiny beard and swollen red dots covering him?" Rylee grinned at him. "I can't imagine you got away with it."

"Of course not, we were forced to spend every day helping the farmers mending fences and reaping crops until every red welt was healed, but it was mid harvest and we felt guilty just leaving the farmers in the lurch so we helped finish up." Kili laughed and Rylee watched the way the corners of his eyes crinkled and his irises twinkled merrily. There was such life in those chocolate brown depths and Rylee felt herself consumed by her love of him. "Your turn, tell me of a prank you pulled, it has to be funny and have nothing to do with your quests."

"Oh um, well everything was in midst of a quest Kili," Rylee said with a shrug of her shoulder and Kili watched as she became reflective and quiet.

"Surely it wasn't all battles and Dragons Rylee, you had to have fun at some point," Kili pressed, she was much too mischievous to let an opportunity pass by.

"Oh there were times of fun but Kaia was the trickster. She and I would torment her father relentlessly. I only ever played one prank on anyone and that was Thranduil. I am certain that is why he hates me as much as he does." Rylee said with a small smile. "Otherwise it was Galadriel who offered up amusement and not because she would pull pranks and whatnot. She just seemed to fall into the worst predicaments. Most people would haul off and get angry but not her, she just seemed to roll with it and laugh it off."

"So how would you torment Kaia's father?" Kili asked with curiosity. He wasn't interested in hearing anything about her former betrothed and as interested as he was about her Elf friend, Rylee didn't seem comfortable going into detail about her misfortunes.

"Oh where to start?" Rylee chuckled softly as she thought back to the days where she was able to sneak away to visit the Dwarf encampment. "We put butter in his socks once and on the bottom of his boots, then watched him slip around for half an hour as he tried to get the offensive garments back off. Kaia braided his hair with chicken feathers one night when he passed out after drinking. I supplied the feathers as she braided them into his hair and beard. He woke up with this mighty white headdress and could barely lift his head off the bench he was sleeping on."

"You didn't," Kili laughed as he tried to imagine the figure from history with chicken feathers tied in his hair.

"Kaia did, I only provided the feathers. Fili looks just like him you know," Rylee admitted softly and met his surprised gaze, "the braids are different but the similarity is really shocking. So just imagine Fili with white chicken feathers completely framing his face, standing out from his head by nearly a foot in circumference."

"Incorrigible brats," Kili chuckled softly. Fili covered in chicken feathers was indeed an amusing image. "What else did you do to the poor king?"

"Hmm, let's see, we seized the joints of his armor with tar so he couldn't leave once." Rylee grinned at Kili's shocked expression, "In my defense, his armor was in horrible repair and he refused to let me fix it. So Kaia and I tarred the armor to make it unusable, he had no choice but to wear the new plated armor that I made for him. Good thing too because we saw heavy battle that day and when we returned to camp Eridith nearly had heart failure at the sight of the scrapes and scratches on the new armor. I happen to know that he nearly took a spear to the heart and his armor shed at least eight arrows, not that I would tell her that."

"There is more you are not telling me," Kili took her hand in his and started running his fingertips gently over her palms.

"Well, we once stole all of his undergarments and placed them around camp as the Company Flags. Then there was the time we traded all of his pipe-weed for common catnip," Rylee snorted as she remembered dark haired Kaia in the dark of night filching her father's long underwear and swapping the tobacco pouch without him noticing. "I think the best one was when I happened to find a sprig of Devil-weed. We were on the trail between camps. Devil-weed is so rare in North Lindon, so I just could not pass up the chance. I pressed the oils out of it and poured the oil into Durin's ale one night. Then we spent the night rolling on the floor laughing every time he tried to talk."

"So that one was all on you," Kili admonished her with a knowing grin.

"Purely spur of the moment, I swear, I could not pass up the chance to test it. Yavanna told me about the properties of Devil-weed, I just never had the chance to see it work in that form. Despite its name it is a spectacular herb for drawing off fever, curing colds, and clearing the sinuses." Rylee laughed softly as she remembered the night. Then her mirth wore away and a familiar ache set in. "That was our last prank, Kaia disappeared a week later in the ruins of Grace Gardens."

At his insistence she told him more about each of her quests and the Dragons she was meant to help kill. Including the deaths that went with them, she glossed over the deaths, not ready to deal with the pain and horror that hovered in the back of her mind. She even told him what she remembered about Scatha and how the dragon turned Fleet Took against her. It seemed to Kili that for every happy memory she had there were months of heartache and loss to go with it. Then she told him of her recent trip with Irmo and the vision he showed her. Mahal's short visit and Manwë's warning. It was late afternoon and they were walking up the path towards her home when she thought about the possibility that the darkness could consume her.

"Kili I need to confess something to you," Rylee said quietly as Kili walked her up the path. They were holding hands as they went, carrying their newly made items. "I already told Thorin this but I need to tell you too."

"What is it Rylee?" Kili asked concerned by the tone of her voice.

"The story of Ungoliant, I left out a large part of it and I need to tell you the rest." Rylee said softly. She didn't give him any time to respond, she launched right into the memory of her battle against Ungoliant and the true tale of her escape. "Kili, because of the venom that still runs in my veins, I will always be susceptible to darkness, the kind of darkness that pulls at your soul and seduces you to give up when all seems lost."

"Why do you tell me this?" Kili asked pulling her to a stop on the small path that led to her house.

"I want you to know about my weaknesses, because you are my strength. I don't understand it, how it is even possible, but it was your voice that I heard while in her web. Kili, you are my light in the darkness, I fought back for you," Rylee said as she turned towards him. It was a warm day, he was not wearing his heavy coat and most of his gear remained at the courtyard where the Company was staying. He was only wearing his layered tunics, belted to his trim form. She thought him the most handsome dwarf she ever laid eyes on. She ran her hands up his arms, feeling the hard muscles under his tunic, she stopped at his shoulders as she looked up into his dark chocolate eyes and let herself be swept away.

Kili looked down at her and met her stormy eyes. "Amrâlimê, you are the light in my life. I will protect you from anything and everything you need me to. I will stand by your side in every battle."

He met her eyes and found himself lost in pools of electric fire. Her desire was running hot as she looked up at him. Instinctively his hands wrapped her tighter against him. Her hands tightened on his shoulders and she rose on her toes to kiss him. Hard and hungry, it was the only way he could describe her kiss.

This time she was the one who insisted on taking the kiss deeper and Kili obliged willingly. They explored each other's mouths as their hands stroked, petted, and caressed through their layers of clothes. Kili fought with himself as his hands palmed her bottom and he lifted her against him. He could not take her here on a path in a small forested park in an Elven city but she was so tempting. She was as needy as he was, her hands pressing, kneading, and pulling at him in an effort to get closer. Her moans of desire mingled with his groans of frustration as they tried to temper their desire to take their passion deeper. Rylee's fingers found the strings on his tunic and she pulled at them wantonly, her fingers desperate to touch him. Kili stilled her fingers and broke the kiss, panting heavily. "We need to stop Rylee, or I will be taking you here in the forest. I promised you a bed. I will not break my promise."

She was breathing just as heavily, her lips swollen she brushed them against his collarbone. Then she buried her head in his neck and held him to her. She just needed him to be close to her. Her heart ached with the need to have him near her. She was annoyed at Thorin in that moment, taking her beloved away from her for any amount of time seemed so unfair. "I don't want today to be over, I want you to stay."

"I know Amrâlimê, but Thorin is right, I need to help with the ceremonial requirements or we will not be able to marry. Besides I will see you tonight at dinner," Kili whispered in her ear. He felt her shiver against him as she clutched him closer. "Come, we must get you home."

She reluctantly released him and let him walk her to her door. He gave her only a soft kiss on her lips before striding away from her, she watched him go. He turned back when he reached the trees, seeing her on the step watching him made his heart skip. A smile quirked her lips and he could see a light blush color her cheeks as he caught her watching him. She signed 'I love you' in Iglishmek and disappeared inside before he could respond. He chuckled softly and turned back to the path.

He was not meeting Thorin and Fili in their quarters. He was to meet them back in the Forge before they met Rylee for dinner at sunset. Kili jogged the remainder of the way back to the Armory where the others would be waiting for him and was happy to see that both Thorin and Fili had already arrived. "You have the gold, Kili?"

"Aye, it is here." Kili grinned as he pulled out his small purse of gold coins. It was all of his winnings from the bets he made on their way here. A small price to pay for a pair of wedding rings that would help him claim Rylee in the eyes of the world.

"I guess this means that I am going to need a new drinking partner to deflect those money grubbing wenches since you will be off the market," Fili joked, smacking him on the back.

"Take Gimli or Ori, "Kili replied with a grin, "They would love the attention, especially Ori."

Fili laughed at that, "Gimli would. Ori would turn pink and pass out."

"Very true," Kili chuckled remembering the last time they tried to set up the shy scribe with a wench at the tavern. The lad had a few too many and thought he had his courage up, so when Bofur brought the lass over, Ori muttered something about black stones in the sun, turned bright pink, and promptly passed out. "He still protests that he was far too drunk and it wasn't the fact that he was shy."

"Right, that's why it took him over a month to go back into the tavern." Fili scoffed shaking his head. "That still leaves me one man short for drinking partners."

"Take Nori or Bofur," Kili suggested with a sly grin, "They are both always game for drinking."

"True that, the only problem is Bofur becomes the entertainment and Nori tries to steal the purses out from the maids' skirts," Fili shook his head thinking of their colorful friends. "Neither of them are much help keeping the gold-grubbers off my back. I swear, the more I say no, the more they are on the hunt."

Thorin looked between the pair. It was always this way with them. The banter back and forth, they were such a mix of their mother and Father. Fili had Sevrin's golden hair and Dis's true blue eyes, where Kili had Dis's dark locks and Sevrin's deep brown eyes. Both shared the cheek and easy going nature of Sevrin and the will and determination of Dis. Many times through their journey Thorin was reminded of his sister and her late husband. Rylee and Kili's courtship reminded him of them in so many ways yet both couples were both very different. Regardless a Dwarf finding his One was a rare and beautiful thing.

Kili found his in Rylee. This brought Thorin's mind back to the present and the task at hand, making wedding bands for the pair. It also brought another thought to Thorin's mind regarding his nephews and their wild oats. "Did you two do as I asked and break your arrangements with your lady friends before we left Ered Luin?"

"Aye," Fili answered first. He had an arrangement with an older human widow in the village. She wanted loose companionship and Fili wanted intimacy with no expectations of marriage. He also didn't want the constant scrutiny that Kili got for sleeping with multiple partners. "I broke it off before we left. Regardless of success or failure our odds of returning to Ered Luin are slim to none. I didn't want that hanging over either of us."

"Good," Thorin nodded stiffly. He was not overly fond of the idea of his nephews taking partners outside of the Dwarf race, but he would rather Fili have this quiet affair than to drag their royal bloodline through the mud with a public debacle. Kili on the other hand was notorious for his open relationships and the lovers that he left in his wake. Not that he ever heard complaints since it was usually the dwarrowdam who broke it off when they came no closer to winning Fili. Thorin never understood how the wenches thought they could use one brother to get to the other. The pair would never and had never shared a woman. He looked at Kili and asked, "And you Kili? Will there be any surprises when the caravans start arriving? Assuming we are successful."

"Nay, my last go was several months ago." Kili shook his head and thought of the last few times he and Fili went to the tavern. He got drunk to the point of disinterest and told the birds to fly the coop. He broke it off with the last wench months ago, over a year ago when he thought about it. It was almost like he knew that someone better was coming along. Regardless, Rylee had nothing to fear from his past.

Fili looked up at him in surprise. "Not even that black haired Margot?"

"Absolutely not!" Kili sputtered just thinking of the woman. He turned bright red in humiliation. He chased Margot for months with no luck yet the moment he backed off, she was on him. She wanted the whole shebang, marriage, halls, crown, everything, as long as she could keep her other lovers and as long as he paid her for her services. "That is one poor excuse for a Dwarrowdam."

"So you finally learned the truth of her did you?" Fili chuckled softly. "I did try to warn you."

"Yes, but to think that she thought that I would bow so low as to pay for sexual favors," Kili snapped in annoyance. "Why in the name of all that is good would I pay for something that is supposed to be mutually satisfying? I would never stoop so low."

"Good to know you have your morals Kili," Thorin teased him chuckling at the lad's obvious embarrassment.

"You're the one who told us to beware the maids who want gold for your cock," Kili growled in annoyance. They always got on his case about him sleeping around, making it sound like he had been with dozens of Dwarrowdams, when the count was actually seven. Each one of those relationships spanned several months, a few of them overlapped, and one wench was the instigator of a threesome which turned into an ongoing affair. They were all empty, cold relationships that left him feeling bereft and used. "Doesn't matter I haven't been with a maid since Nika."

"But you broke that off over a year ago," Fili was shocked. "She is betrothed now."

"Aye," Kili grinned at his brother, "I set them up to get her off my back. Who knew that she would find her One in Borin?"

"So you have been with no one for over a year," Thorin stated looking at Kili skeptically. It was odd, he was certain he had seen him recently flirting with the wenches in one of the taverns in the village before they left. He heard about the Elf maid the night of their arrival.

"That is what I said. I will admit that I have flirted and chased, but when the night came to a close I changed my mind and walked away. I am sick of being used and want someone who loves me for myself." Kili growled and rolled his eyes at his uncle. He then set the gold coins into a vat for smelting and turned to get the fire up to temperature. "Rylee is my One. Now that I have caught her I will never let her go."

Rylee stepped inside her house and looked around, Rohinna was in the small kitchen brewing tea and making small meat filled rolls. She didn't even look up at Rylee before she said, "Go bathe and change, you have been requested to see Lord Elrond in the Main Library this afternoon."

"Oh? I wonder if he has found out any of the information I requested. Now that I have my memories back and a greater understanding of history, I can only make assumptions about the validity of my titles." Rylee said as she dropped into thought. Perhaps the titles were obsolete and she could have Saruman try to remove the crown, or they might give her new duties, since she was already wearing the damn thing. 'Not that it wants to come off,' Rylee thought, 'Eru knows, I've tried to remove it.' She looked back at Rohinna and continued her banter, "And you know what they say about assuming things."

"No, what do they say?" Rohinna giggled, she knew exactly what Rylee was going to say, she was just playing along.

"To assume anything makes an ass out of you and me." Rylee quipped sardonically, "'Tis why it is spelt the way it is."

She made her way up to the loft and into her room, stopping at the closet she pulled out a pair of tight leggings and a deep purple fitted sleeveless tunic that fell to just above her knees. She placed the clothes onto the bed and paired them with tall leather boots. Other than the thick sturdy leather and her personal insignia burned into the seams, the boots looked almost Elven in design. Once she was done picking her clean clothes she drifted into the bathroom and disrobed.

Rohinna was well aware that Rylee preferred her bathwater to be nearly boiling and kept the fire under the boiler for the tub as hot as she could make it. Rylee knew that on a quest like this, such luxuries were to be cherished and enjoyed, so she did. She reveled her time in the bath, she undid the elaborate braid and slipped into the hot water allowing herself to go under. Even though she was only mildly sweaty and dusty from training and working in the forge, Rylee scrubbed herself clean. When she was done, she dried off and rubbed body oil into her skin, making it feel soft and smell amazing. Like her soap, it too was made by Yavanna. It arrived in her satchel this morning with a note telling her to visit Valinor the following night. The night before her wedding. Just the thought made Rylee nervous.

She braided her hair and dressed quickly, not wanting Elrond to have to wait around on her. Surely he had better things to be doing than her bidding. She bid Rohinna good evening and headed out of the house and towards the path. Mikhaul was nowhere to be found and Rylee wondered if everything was okay. Usually the great black mare only left if Eru had need of her. Something was up and Rylee wondered if it had anything to do with Sauron and the growing darkness.

Rylee walked swiftly through the city and up to the Last Homely House. Within she took one of the many staircases up to the vast library that opened out onto a massive balcony overlooking the valley, its tall windows let in bright streams of natural light. Massive bookcases lined the walls and stood in tall lines, each one filled with books, scrolls, vessels, and artifacts of different natures. Elrond was sitting at a massive table in the center of the tall window, several large tomes covered the surface before him.

"Greetings Elrond," Rylee said from the doorway as she entered.

"Good afternoon Rylee, please come join me." Elrond smiled invitingly. He looked her up and down taking in the familiar outfit. It was one of few that was meant for times of ease and relaxation. The deep purple set fire to her dark red hair.

She seated herself in one of the tall chairs across from him and looked around, letting her curiosity take full reign as her eyes hungrily explored her surroundings. On the end of one of the massive bookshelves was a painting of a familiar face. Rylee blinked up at it, other than the fact that the clothing was much more modern in style, she swore that the elleth in the painting was Lúthien. Full lips in a gentle oval face, her arched black brows framed her entrancing grey eyes. Her black hair was pulled back into soft braids where Lúthien would always wear hers loose to amplify the powers of her cloak.

"Elrond, this," Rylee rose and walked towards the painting, her brow furrowed in confusion, "This isn't Lúthien is it? She is familiar but it is not her."

"Very astute Rylee," Elrond smiled with pride as he took in the painting of Arwen with renewed eyes. It had been years since the painting was first created. Galadriel was the one to point out the similarities between Arwen and Lúthien since Elrond never met the beautiful Elf maid of the First Age. His great grandmother Lúthien chose mortality and died with Beren, long before before he was ever born. "Galadriel said that you knew Lúthien. You are correct however, this is my daughter Arwen."

"Other than her clothes, the style of her hair, and the way she carries herself, she is almost exactly the same," Rylee breathed softly, she looked up at Elrond and smiled, "Your daughter is very beautiful Elrond, you must be very proud of her."

"I am, she is a joy to be around. It is unfortunate she missed you here, she is in Lothlórien visiting her grandparents," Elrond nodded and moved to the next column, "These are my sons, Elladan and Elrohir, I expect them to return tonight with Galadriel. They were to meet her on the trail."

Rylee looked up at the next painting. Twins, Elladan and Elrohir had their father's dark hair and the same deep grey eyes as their sister. Rylee realized that they must have inherited their mother's eyes since Elrond's were deep dark brown, nearly black. They had their father's strong jaw and straight nose, but she could see traits of Celeborn in them as well. "Very handsome, their eyes though-."

"Their mother's eyes," Elrond whispered softly and Rylee could hear the hurt within his voice. "She was waylaid by Orcs in the mountain pass. They did her great harm before the twins could get to her. I was able to heal her physically but the torment she went through-"

"Say no more Elrond," Rylee whispered as she placed her hand on his arm and looked up at him. Rylee was fully aware of what horrors Orcs could do to a body and could hear the hurt and frustration in Elrond's voice. Rylee knew that this event happened after her most recent death. For an Elf who could live forever, this event would torment Elrond forever if he allowed it.

"Celebrian sailed to Aman within the year, the memories of the torment were too much for her to bear," He told her as he put his hand over hers. Rylee didn't say anything else, it was written on her face for him to see. Whoever lifted the mask of Rúnyatári opened up a world of emotion visible in every nuance, there was no pity there, only empathy, concern, sorrow and shared grief. Rylee never even knew Celebrian and yet she mourned her departure from Middle-Earth. She would mourn her because he, Galadriel, and Celeborn did.

"You will see her again one day," Rylee smiled sadly her heart full of hope for him.

"I will," Elrond agreed as he pushed aside the deep sorrow that lived within him. He had summoned Rylee here to discuss some of her questions. Now that she had her memories back, he knew that she was aware of which of her friends survived, what happened with Scatha, the state of Middle-Earth, and who among her friends remained in the world. The only question that remained was whether she still had any responsibilities to go with the crown that she wore. "I have found the scroll that Gil-galad entrusted to me regarding your title and status."

Rylee moved back to the table and took her seat. Elrond sat across from her and took a large scroll from the pile on the table, laying it out in front of her. He opened it up and turned it for Rylee to read. She scanned through the contents quickly and frowned, then she returned to the top and started again at the beginning.

_Rúnyatári_

_Queen of Red Flame_

_It is known by all races that the presence of Aulë's Daughter, Rylee Emitheral, in Middle-Earth indicates times of darkness and war. On this date of February 12, 582 First Age of the Sun, Rylee Emitheral accepts the crown, title, and responsibilities of Rúnyatári. By decree Rúnyatári shall hold title to the armies of the races of Ilúvatar. In times of peace the title will be considered dormant and Rúnyatári will hold no sway over the peoples of Middle-Earth. Upon the rise Morgoth, his minions, or any other dark powers in the Realm of Middle-Earth, Rúnyatári shall rise to lead the armies of Ilúvatar. This edict will remain in good standing until the end of all Ages of Middle-Earth or until the natural and final death of Rylee Emitheral._

The script went on and on telling of her responsibilities. By Rylee's understanding, if the races of Men, Dwarves and Elves were to go to war against Morgoth, Sauron or any other dark creatures, she was to be the battle commander. Regardless of the status of other leaders whether they be King, Queen, Lord, Lady, or otherwise, Rylee was to be the leader of all armies, they would answer to her. As long as there was darkness in the world she was at the sway of this crown. It would never be removed.

She remembered reading these words in her third life and arguing against it. She remembered Gil-galad pleading with her to accept the responsibility, telling her that he would never follow anyone other than her into battle, if he were to choose a commander it would be her. It took him days to convince her, she was swayed by Durin and Oropher and several other leaders of Men, Dwarves and Elves. She scanned through the rest seeking some sort of loophole, some sort of escape route and found none.

Rylee whimpered and tears filled her eyes. Her stomach turned over, her heart raced and she began to shake. Bile crept up her throat and she swallowed repeatedly trying to force it back down. Rylee pressed her right hand over her mouth trying to keep herself from throwing up or screaming, she wanted to do both. She didn't want this. She did not want the responsibility of leading people to their deaths.

"I know this was not what you were hoping for," Elrond took her hand in his and she gripped his like he was a lifeline. "You chose this, whether you like it or not this is your responsibility. With luck you will never have to lead an army."

Rylee thought of all those people who died, who would yet die fighting against the darkness that plagued the world. She ripped her hand away from Elrond and both of her hands clenched into tight fists as her frustration and ire grew. Launching herself to her feet she swept away from the table and began to pace from the table to the window and back where she screamed in rage and slammed her fists into the table. "No! I don't want this! I never wanted this! I revoke my rights, I revoke my word, and I revoke all power! I want none of it! Take it away!"

Even saying those words changed nothing, the title remained. She took an oath as the daughter of the Valar, she gave her word and there was no way out of it. Rylee left the table and out onto the balcony gripping both hands on the railing with a white knuckled grip. She was here on a quest, she could feel the darkness rising in the world and this place held a false serenity that belied the truth. Rylee couldn't help but feel betrayed by the peace and quiet that surrounded her and screamed one long wail into the calm sweet smelling air, "Nooooo!"

She couldn't do it again, it nearly tore her apart the first time. She was lucky that her quest for Scatha was only about the Dragon and nothing more. This quest was about changing fates, this quest was not about the beasts, it was about darkness and saving the lives of the people she loved most in the world. How could she do that while saddled with this responsibility? How could she ask Kili to marry her knowing that she would be the one to lead armies when darkness rose? She just wanted to love him and be loved by him, nothing simpler or more difficult than that.

She heard voices behind her and turned to see Gandalf and Saruman standing at the door to the balcony with Elrond, concerned looks on their faces. Apparently her fit drew them here. She wondered momentarily where Radagast had gotten to but pushed the thought away, he had his own priorities.

"You have no responsibility in this world until war is upon us Rylee," Elrond said sagely. He and Saruman stood off to the side with concerned frowns upon their faces. "Until there is clear indication that darkness rises to power, you can focus solely on your quest at hand."

"But darkness is rising," Rylee argued heatedly, looking at the three of them. "I can feel it, it calls to me. Sauron is rising in the shadows. Mikhaul is gone and she only leaves me when Eru needs her."

"We will discuss this when the White Council is assembled." Saruman's wise voice echoed over the balcony. "The night that we assemble with Thorin about his quest and yours, we will discuss the darkness of the world. Until then you will concentrate on your wedding and regaining your strength. As per the edict, none of this matters as long as there is no war. You will only be called upon if that changes."

"Saruman is right Rylee," Elrond intoned softly, "There is no point in worrying or even discussing this until the White Council has assembled. Cirdan is not expected to arrive until this time next week."

"Speak to your family, discuss this with them," Gandalf advised her, "Both your family here in Middle-Earth and in Valinor. You must speak to them."

Rylee looked at Saruman and then at Gandalf, both of them were aware of her situation with the Valar, they were both present when it happened. They didn't know everything. Only she, Thorin, Mahal, and Eru knew what happened when she ran away. Everyone else only knew that Oromë was the one to find her, carry her broken body home and the events that transpired after that. She met their eyes and tried to tell them silently that she was trying to make amends, but she would do it on her own terms and at her own time.

"You should join the Company now Rylee," Gandalf told her taking her hand and leading her out of the vast library.

Rylee wandered the streets in contemplation until sunset. She didn't see the cobblestones under her feet, or the vines and flowers that grew over everything and lined the pathways through the city. When she finally arrived at the balcony where the Company was residing her mood was unchanged. She was still frustrated and angry. Kili took one look at her and joined her, pulling her to the side and leading her into a small shadowed alcove.

"What is it?" Kili whispered in the darkness, taking both of her hands in his.

"My title still stands," Rylee whispered hoarsely, swallowing hard, "If darkness rises and there is to be a war in Middle-Earth, I will have to lead the races of Ilúvatar into battle. In times of war I command all of the armies, my word trumps all other reigning commanders. I would have power over Kings. I would have power over Thorin, Galadriel, even Elrond. I don't want it Kili. I don't want this. If I don't want it, how can I ask you-?"

Kili looked down at Rylee, the pain and fear on her face was visible in the taut corners of her mouth, her pursed lips, and her wide moist eyes. She was in agony over this, and he knew what she was asking him. She was giving him the chance to walk away from her, the choice to stand beside her. He knew that she would accept whatever decision he gave her.

"I stand with you Rylee, if it comes down to it I will go to war with you," Kili pulled her into his arms, holding her close and she began to shake. He could feel her crying into his shoulder, clutching him tightly to her. "Until the end of time Rylee, I will be with you."

"It is not fair of me to ask it of you Kili," Rylee said softly, her voice muffled in the cloth of his tunic. "When I accepted this title, I was alone and I never thought that I would find you."

"But you have found me and I don't care about your crown," Kili soothed her stroking his fingers up and down her spine, massaging away the tension in her shoulders and back. "I already told you, I love you for you, Amrâlimê. I will take you and keep you in every form you have, including Rúnyatári."

She quieted and relaxed against him, her grip around him eased, contented to remain in his embrace. He was warmth, light, and love. He soothed her soul and gave her hope. She looked into his eyes and lifted her hands to his face, lovingly stroking his cheeks and letting her fingernails feather into his shorn beard. "You are perfect for me Kili, never change. Everything about you, I love."

"Everything?" Kili looked down at her, his joy at feeling her hands on his face was consuming as he met her gaze.

"Everything," She nodded meeting his eyes, "Your hair, the way it falls in your face and in your eyes makes me want to thread it through my fingers. Your beard shorn to honor your mastery of archery, drives me to distraction, it defines your face and focuses on your lips which I want to kiss. Your eyes are like dark pools, I fall into you every time I meet your gaze. Kili, I could go on all night. In my eyes you are perfection and I wonder if those other maids were blind or just plain stupid. I don't care though, because they let you go, I can keep you as mine."

Kili kissed her hard, claiming her mouth with his, delving into her as though she was his life source. She met him with equal passion, her tongue entwining with his, stroke for stroke she joined with him. He cradled her face in his hands as she did the same to him, a soft whimper came from her throat as she pressed closer against him. Every time they touched it was like being consumed by desire, he needed her so completely, but she was not his, not yet. He pulled away and growled softly, "In exactly two days I will make you mine Rylee."

"These are the three longest days of my life Kili," her voice was soft and husky with lust.

"Are you two done yet or should we postpone dinner?" Fili teased them standing just outside the alcove. The bright light glinted off of his golden hair making his braids shine like a halo. Rylee snorted derisively; there was nothing remotely holy about Fili, the cheeky brat.

"By all means Fili, if you are willing to wait for us, I would be willing to make you." Rylee teased in return, her eyebrow quirked, "The problem is that I am certain that you would be willing to watch, while I do not want an audience."

"Ouch," Fili clutched his hands over his heart in mock hurt and chuckled. "I am hurt that you think me so immature that I would want to watch, but then Mikhaul did show me your beautiful legs, which those leggings show off stunningly by the way. Makes me wonder what other treasure you are hiding."

"Fili, if you want to keep your golden tongue, you will stop talking," Kili warned softly, "Mikhaul should never have shown you that."

"You are right, she shouldn't have," Fili chuckled at the sudden jealousy that flashed across Kili's face, "A man should never have to see his little sister in such a state. Come on you two, the Company awaits."

Fili walked away leaving them both staring after him. Rylee looked up at Kili and smirked, "I am not certain if I want to hit him, hug him, or pull his hair."

"I vote to pull his hair," Kili grinned down at her mischievously. He took her hand and pulled her after him and onto the balcony to join the Company.

"I heard that," Fili called back to them as he made his way to Thorin's side.

"Good," Rylee said sweetly, "You have been forewarned."

"Are you all right Rylee?" Bilbo asked her softly, "I heard you screaming earlier today."

"Aye, I am fine, I just got some shoddy news," Rylee told him quietly. She refused to think about it again. There was no war at the moment and that meant that she had no responsibility other than that which was bestowed on her by the Valar.

"Which we will deal with together, when or if need be," Kili agreed as he took a seat on his bench, pulling Rylee into her place on his lap.

Moments later Rylee was handed a bowl of stew. She should have realized something was amiss when she noticed that it was only half full. She should have figured out something was up when Kili was given his own bowl and she should have caught on when the company seemed to collectively wait on baited breath for her to eat. She was off in her own thoughts, not paying much attention to what was happening around her. So when Bofur asked her why she seemed so far away, her own answer startled her as much as it did Kili and Thorin.

"What?" she croaked. Rylee blinked, her voice didn't feel hoarse or cracked, her throat felt soothed and her sinuses open. She could breathe clearly. Rylee tried again and it came out as a squeak, high pitched and mouse like, "What?"

The company roared with laughter and Rylee's hands rose to grip her throat. She looked at them and then down at her empty bowl of stew. She blinked and looked up at Kili, his eyes wide with concern but bright with amusement.

"What did you do?" Rylee's voice dropped, lower than Dwalin's. Upon hearing it she started to laugh. Her laugh came out a hoarse witchy cackle which made her laugh harder. When she spoke again it was soft and whispery, like a nymph, "Oh goodness! Devil-weed! Where did you come across Devil-weed?"

"In the tunnel on the way here Lass," Bofur grinned his eyes crinkling mischievously, "We decided we had to get you back for the Fire Wine."

"The Fire Wine?" Her voice flattened into a burly timbre and then rose to a song with her following sentence, "But that wasn't even a prank! I just wanted to hear your reaction!"

"Indeed," A graceful voice broke through the laughter of the company, silence fell and as one the company turned to look at the tall blonde Elven woman standing before them, "In all of my years I have only ever known Rylee to pull one true prank and even then it was on the spur of the moment. I have never known her to retaliate either. Rylee doesn't think that way. Kaia was the prankster."

Rylee chuckled her voice a high tinkling laugh, she rose to greet her friend, "Galadriel, mellon nin! You are as beautiful as always."

"And you, Rylee Emitheral, other than the effects of Devil-weed you are unchanged," Galadriel took both of Rylee's hands in hers. "That will wear off in a few hours."

"I do remember, it was Devil-weed that grew in the caverns, wasn't it?" Rylee's voice came out nasal and whiney. She snorted and started to laugh all over again as did the company.

"It was your flame that nulled the effect. It is unfortunate that it is in your system, it will take time to wear off." Galadriel nodded with a grin, "Will you introduce me to your friends?"

"Of course," Rylee said her voice once again a low bass, "Galadriel, Lady of Lothlórien allow me to introduce you to the Company of Thorin Oakenshield."

They were practically rolling on the floor laughing at the changes in pitch in Rylee's voice. With every breath she took her voice came out different and each voice seemed to be at odds with her intended expression or words. Even Galadriel laughed as Rylee's voice went through the different ranges and modulations. The spectrum of sound created by the Devil-weed was astounding, and hearing it come from the feisty War Maiden made the entire situation that much more amusing.

"This is my intended Kili." Rylee whispered as her voice rose back up to a song and Kili winked at her. He turned his attention to the beautiful Elf maiden in front of him and gave a short bow.

"Kili, at your service," Kili said smiling up at her, before turning his gaze back to Rylee. Her face was flushed with embarrassment, but she was laughing at herself as her voice changed from one pitch to the next. The Elf was beautiful but no one would ever compare to Rylee, at least not for him.

"I see why she loves you," Galadriel smiled at Rylee and then at Kili, then back again, "You only have eyes for her."

"You are the elleth that Rylee admires. She told me that you warned Durin of the destruction of Belegost," Kili smiled at her, remembering what Rylee told him about this very dear friend. "Your vision saved thousands of Dwarves in the War of Wrath. I thank you for that."

"You are most welcome," Galadriel nodded and her lips quirked up into a small smile. Rylee was doing what she always did. She was smoothing things between the races, she was easing them into trusting her. Galadriel watched Rylee carefully and realized that the Dwarrowdam didn't even know she was doing it, it was just her nature.

"His brother Fili," Rylee moved to Fili who like his brother gave Galadriel a half bow. His cheeky grin played at his lips and Galadriel blinked for a moment and looked at Rylee who grinned knowingly. She followed Rylee around the room as the Dwarrowdam introduced each of the dwarves, her voice changing pitch and inflection with every name, making herself and the others laugh every time she opened her mouth. Galadriel followed, offering each a smile and taking each Dwarf's hand in her own in greeting. Rylee finally stepped up to the leaders of the Company, her voice a squealing high pitch as she made the final introductions, "Dwalin, Balin and finally my Adad, Thorin Oakenshield."

"It is a pleasure," Galadriel smiled serenely offering her hand to each Dwarf. Balin was stunned into taking her hand and bowing, offering his service. Never in all his years had any Elf greeted him in such a personal and pleasant way. Usually Elves looked upon Dwarves with distaste. Dwalin too was nearly speechless and Thorin had to elbow him to snap him out of the trance he seemed to have fallen into. After Dwalin greeted the stunning Elf Maiden properly Thorin stood there stiffly under her scrutiny.

"Thorin, King of Durin's Folk, guardian of Rylee Emitheral, I take pleasure in finally putting a face to the name that Rylee spoke of. I am Galadriel, Lady of Lothlórien."

Thorin looked up at the Elven Lady of Lothlórien, she was stunningly beautiful. In fact every set of Dwarven eyes minus one were trained on her lovely visage. She was tall, taller than any woman of man that Thorin ever met, her hair was wrought of waves of gold and silver, that fell around her to her waist. Her skin was as pale as alabaster and yet she wore a healthy flush that seemed to make her glow. Her lips were soft and turned up into the softest of smiles, her nose was straight and fine. Her eyes under fine arched brows were the truest of blues and they were kindly.

Thorin never liked elves and mistrusted their ethereal beauty, for such lies and deception could come from them. He knew this well, because Thranduil was fine of grace and form, and never had Thorin met a creature more capable of duplicity. This lady though, her entire aura called for him to stand at attention and to hear her words. "Well met, Lady Galadriel. Rylee has spoken to you of me?"

"She has, I have known her since her first days in Doriath, during her first life," Galadriel told him softly, "I have never met a more valiant warrior, a wise queen, or a better friend than she. She once told me that the best things she learned about humanity and life came from you. It is because of these words that I am going to impart with you my knowledge."

"And what knowledge is that?" Thorin said feeling rather humbled by Rylee's praise of him.

"Every race is capable of dishonesty and prejudice," Galadriel told him softly, her voice was low for his ears only, "Sometimes we must accept assistance from those we do not trust in order to go forward on our path and often we must forgive those who have wronged us, in the end we must all stand together if we are to truly overcome the darkness within."

"And why would you impart me this, My Lady?" Thorin asked his defenses slowly starting to rise. Rylee took his hand and squeezed gently, he looked down at her and she met his gaze.

"You know why, Thorin Oakenshield." Galadriel whispered, looking between the pair. Her honesty was brutal, but she knew that he had to hear it from her. "Greed is a dark thing, your line carries something much darker, but fear not for Rylee will unearth the cure."

"You have seen this," Thorin stated, his eyes widening as he remembered what Kili said about her vision saving the Dwarves of Belegost. Her sacrifice in the First Age saved thousands of his people.

"I have seen many things in my time," Galadriel pulled away from him and looked back at Rylee who was smiling between her and Thorin.

"Thank you for your words, My Lady," Thorin bowed stiffly in acknowledgement. He was not sure he could trust the tall blonde Elf witch but Rylee did. He could see it written in every nuance on Rylee's face. It was something he would consider.

Galadriel turned to Rylee and asked with a mischievous smile, "You should tell them about your prank on Thranduil."

Bofur and Nori sat up straighter with blatant curiosity. "You must tell us now, Rylee. Even your friend insists that you tell us."

"Oh, I don't know," Rylee trilled, then groaned and rolled her eyes, "This voice is going to make the whole thing so much worse!"

"More amusing I would imagine," Thorin snorted, "Thranduil has no sense of humor as far as I have ever seen."

"That is an understatement," Rylee scoffed her voice matched his baritone. "I nearly fell over the first time I ever saw him smile."

Galadriel laughed at that. It was true. Thranduil was not an Elf keen on amusement. Everything was a serious matter as far as he was concerned. Rylee's prank on him set the stage for their very rocky relationship. "I do believe it was your prank and his reaction that made Oropher so adamant that you marry. He was certain you would be good for his son and he would be good for you."

"Shows how much he knew. Thranduil and I never got along. He was so somber and stuffy, not an ounce of humor in him that I could find. He was so methodical and precise with everything, so much so that he had a daily routine that he followed to a tee." Rylee snickered to herself as she remembered what she did, with every breath her voice changed, every sentence was different. She barely even set up her tale and already the dwarves were rolling on the floor and even Galadriel was holding her sides in tides of laughter. "Each morning at breakfast he would have Strawberry jam on his biscuits and a cup of tea, after four weeks of watching him follow this exact routine I could not stand it anymore. I just happened to be in the kitchens serving my own breakfast of roasted ham and eggs, with pancakes and thick syrup when I spied his tray. The jam was sitting right there and so was the open jar of spicy fire pepper jam. The cook was out of the room and the maids were occupied gathering other things for Oropher and Nialiwen."

"So what you swapped them? How could he not notice?" Kili chuckled softly, liking where this prank was going.

"Swap them? Nay that would be too obvious." Rylee grinned, her voice switching between low and manly and back up to feminine and girly. Neither voice suited Rylee, which made the company laugh all the louder and Galadriel snort quietly beside Rylee. Rylee looked around but no one seemed to notice the elleth's snort of mirth. "I took a huge spoonful of fire pepper jelly and mixed it into the jam and stirred it really well, so that the chunks of pepper looked no different from the strawberries. Then I placed the strawberry jam jar back on his tray for the maids to take to him. I put my fire jelly jar on my tray, picked it up and carried it into the dining pavilion and joined the others. I ate fairly quickly. I was expected to leave for Gondolin that morning so no one thought anything of my need to rush. Thranduil's tray arrived in front of him within minutes of him joining us and about five minutes before I finished my meal."

"What did he do?" Kili could not imagine pulling off a trick like that in front of someone's parents, no matter how much he disliked them.

"Well, when he spooned his jam onto his biscuit I bumped his arm so that twice his usual amount fell onto it." Rylee laughed in remembrance, her laugh tweaked mid-chortle from high and tinkling to a husky rasp and then to a low chime, "He took two bites before he noticed the sudden growing heat on his tongue, by the third bite he was sweating bullets. I turned to him and said with a completely straight face, 'Thranduil, you look good with color in your cheeks, whatever you are doing you should keep it up.' He glared at me something fierce and grabbed the biscuit off my plate and accused me of swapping our jelly and popped the last bite into his mouth."

"So he ate fire pepper jam thinking it was strawberry jam?" Bofur was snorting and guffawing loudly along with the others trying to imagine this stuffy Elf suffering from the effects of the Jelly. Everyone knew what Fire Peppers tasted like. There was a drinking game that all Dwarves encountered at least once where all participants ate a Fire Pepper and tried to keep from drinking their ale. The Dwarf to last the longest would win. Making the peppers into Jam only amplified the flavor.

"I did try to stop him." Rylee's voice pitched from a deep bass to a sultry pout making Ori hoot in mirth.

"She truly did, she went so far as to grab his arm and try to take her biscuit back, warning him that hers was truly Fire Pepper Jelly, but he just didn't want to listen to her." Galadriel said laughing and wiping tears from her eyes. "He barely even finished chewing before he was screaming for the maids to bring him some milk. Thingol and Melian, Myself and Celeborn, Durin and an envoy of each of the seven kingdoms was in attendance. Every one of us was laughing at the spectacle, including Oropher. I think the only person not laughing was Nialiwen and even then she was holding back."

"Thranduil couldn't say a word against me with everyone there and could only concede that I had indeed pulled a fine prank. Especially considering that I did try to stop him from taking my biscuit," Rylee grinned at the memory of her one and only prank, "I thanked him for being a good sport, even though he was glaring at me quite fiercely. Then I winked at him, excused myself from the table and walked out of the dining pavilion. When I looked back he had tears streaming down his face and was downing a massive glass of milk."

"Were you punished for that?" Ori asked her with his eyes wide.

"Courting him for four years was punishment enough Ori," Rylee said as her voice went from a high pitched squeak, cracked, and broke back into a low bass. She sounded like a monster. Everyone on the balcony roared with laughter, their mirth echoed through the halls of the main house and into the night air.


	24. Blast From the Past

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Chapter 24

Blast from the Past

June 10

It was the third courting day, and they started once again in the training field. Both were using their bows, Kili was hitting the target time after time, while Rylee's arrows were still turning to the right. She was receiving odd glances from the elves that were training nearby, especially when they noticed that her form rivaled their own.

She drew yet another arrow and pulled back on the bowstring, feeling the flex of the bow, she pulled past the sweet spot and tried to clear her mind. It was impossible, the same thoughts kept stirring up and bothering her, setting her at unease. "Kili?"

"Yes, Love?" Kili lowered his bow and joined Rylee. He gently caressed her face, feeling the need to touch her in some way. They both agreed that she had to learn to shoot without his distractions, Kili was trying to teach her to clear her mind of all thought, so she waited until he stepped back before she released the arrow. Whatever was bothering her was taking up a large portion of her attention because the arrow just narrowly missed the target.

"What will your mother think of this? I mean, we are to be married tomorrow and she is not here," Rylee said feeling more than a little distressed. She felt guilty, not for wanting to be married as quickly as possible, but because they were missing a very important member of his family. It felt wrong to her. "Are we rushing this? We don't have her blessing, she will hate me for that alone, much less for stealing her youngest son from her."

"She will not hate you," Kili told her as he turned her to look at him, he hated the distress that he heard in her voice. "If anything my mother will be thrilled at the idea of having a daughter and you are not stealing me away Rylee, I fully intend to take you home."

"Home?" Rylee looked up at him in question. Home was such an absurd concept to her. She never had a home, a place of her own. Not since leaving Aman. Only Mahal's Mansions felt like home to her, having spent her childhood within those bright fiery halls. For seven years she had been away from that place and in her heart she knew that while it was the home of her childhood, it was no longer her place. While in Middle-Earth she was always on a quest of some sort, rarely staying in one place for long. It was a distant dream to have a place of her own to call home.

"Yes Rylee, home." Kili whispered softly in her ear. He brushed his fingers from her forehead to her chin, loving the way she moved into his touch, and the soft sigh she released in response. He kissed her gently, it was chaste and quick. Knowing that they were being watched, he kept it short, even though he wanted to find a private place where he could ravish her. "I have made two promises on this quest, other than taking you in a bed, and I intend to keep both of them."

"And what are those?" Rylee asked meeting his gaze. She felt breathless as she looked into his dark eyes, she faintly wondered if this feeling would last forever, she hoped so because he made her feel alive.

"I promised to fulfill your wishes, I swear to you I will," Kili watched as her eyes went wide, her breath caught and she went still.

"Hmm, I love your determination Kili," Rylee said as she pulled him against her in a quick hug.

"If I was truly determined, Rylee, I would find a place where we could be alone," Kili whispered in her ear, he smirked as he felt an answering shiver run through her. He could feel it wherever he touched her. "I love that unfocused, lusty look on your face. If I could, I would make certain you wore it all the time."

"Oh!" Rylee blushed from head to toe, and stepped away from him, breaking contact. She blinked up at him, trying to stop her mind from whirling and he dropped a quick kiss on her lips, "You are driving me to madness Kili."

"Imagine if we were following our current customs and had to wait the customary year, and prepare for a full Royal Wedding Ceremony," Kili teased her gently.

"Y-Year? You wait a year?" Rylee's eyes went wide in shock, she met his eyes and he nodded seriously, "As much as I want your mother to be there, I think I much prefer the customs of the First Age. If I have to wait longer than the mandatory three days, I will go out of my mind!"

"If it eases your mind, we can hold another ceremony later to honor my mother. Once we take back Erebor and fulfill our quests we can hold a true celebration." Kili suggested with a chuckle, silently agreeing with her preference for the First Age customs.

"I would like that," Rylee smiled, feeling greatly relieved. "So what was your other promise? You said you made two?"

"I promised my mother I would return to her," Kili said as he reached into his pocket, pulling out his rune stone. He held out his hand to place it into her hand, Rylee offered her palm and he dropped the dark oval stone onto her pale hand. "She gave me a rune stone so I would not forget."

"Innikh dê," Rylee gasped at the contact, her electric eyes sparking brightly at what she felt from the stone. Kili watched her in fascination as she responded to the Runes written into the talisman. Her energy flared, he could feel it, then she spoke in the blood magic language and he automatically felt the love as it was absorbed into the stone and the sentiment of her words, "Valar blessed, make it so."

Her response to the stone was automatic. She could not control the power as it flowed through her. Rylee held out the stone, still reveling in the profound love she felt emanating from within it. Years had passed since she felt such a love as what was in the stone. It was something that she was missing and had missed for a very long time. It was powerful and it was beautiful. Rylee handed it back to Kili and it crackled to life as he took it from her palm, the runes lit momentarily before returning to normal. Kili looked up at her in surprise as he felt the emotions captured within the polished surface, "I can feel her now, like she is here with us."

"That's never happened before. It just happened Kili, it was a natural response to the love that you and your mother already imbued upon the stone," Rylee said softly, afraid to meet his eyes.

"You blessed it. You didn't have to do that Rylee." Kili grinned at her and her eyes flicked up to meet his.

"Thorin's going to-," She looked at him in desperation as Thorin's voice interrupted.

"What the hell was that Rylee Emitheral?" Thorin hollered at her. "Everyone in the training field felt that!"

" – kill me," She finished sadly, looking up at Thorin as he and Fili approached. Concern covered both of their faces. "I don't know, I felt the love emanating from the stone and the power came up, filling it, and -"

Kili showed Fili the stone, just as he had done many times over the past weeks whenever Kili was missing his home or thinking of his mother. Fili took it from Kili's hand and his eyes lit up, a grin cracked his face, and he chuckled softly. Feeling the warmth of his mother, her generous spirit and energy as it wrapped around him. He held it out for his uncle to take, "She blessed it, Thorin."

Thorin held the stone in the palm of his hand and sure enough he could feel Dis, her spirit, her life, and her encompassing love. All of it was there spilling from the stone and into his spirit. It was like Dis was with them, embracing them. He looked up at Rylee. Her face was pale and she was looking at the stone with awe, wonder, and no small amount of confusion.

"What brought this on, Rylee? Why the sudden use of magic?" Thorin asked his voice softened, gentle as he handed her the stone. He placed it in her palm and light radiated out of the runes, her eyes closed and she smiled softly.

"It has been a long time since I have felt such an emotion," Rylee whispered as she let the comforting emotion fill her and wash over her. She felt Dis's affection for Kili and Kili's devotion to his mother, "It feels like - ."

"Like what?" Kili asked after Rylee stopped short, closing her mouth as though trying to swallow a secret.

"Like these," Rylee said as she pulled her hair forward, she pressed two of the Vala beads into Kili's hand.

"Who are they from?" Kili asked as he held the power filled beads in his hands. He could feel the same attachments, the same devotion, the same comfort coming from within the beads.

"Yavanna and Nienna," Rylee whispered as tears filled her eyes. "I wish you could meet them Kili. They would love you."

"As I am certain my mother will love you, Rylee," Kili whispered as he pulled her into his arms, holding her tight.

"Did Kili tell you what he told Mother when she gave him that talisman?" Fili asked her quietly, and Rylee shook her head from within the sanctuary of Kili's embrace. "Kili told her that he would bring home a bride."

"He didn't," Thorin looked on in amusement, a small smirk lifting his lips. Fili just nodded and Kili offered up a cheeky grin. "What did Dis say to that?"

"She told him not to bother unless the lass had as much fire within her as he does." Fili said with a grin, meeting Thorin's eyes. Thorin started to laugh and Rylee raised her head and looked at Fili in surprise, then she met Kili's eyes. "Kili as usual overreached and intends to marry a maid born in fire."

"You will keep your promise to your mother, Kili," Rylee said as she pressed the stone into Kili's hand, wrapping her fingers around his as she closed them both around the talisman. "You will return to her."

"Well of course!" Kili grinned down at her, and then he kissed her on the nose. "I have every intention of keeping both of my promises."

"Rylee!" A scream filled the air. Rylee froze in Kili's arms and he looked down at her with concern. He watched as a spectrum of emotions flitted across her face; shock, sadness, anger, fear, and finally confusion. She met Kili's eyes and shook her head slowly, mouthing the words, 'It's not possible.' She turned in his arms to look in the direction of the scream and she immediately began to shake.

"What is it Rylee? Who are they?" Kili asked her quietly, "Do you know them?"

"Yes but, No. Well. Yes I know them, but it's not possible." Rylee said as her heart pounded in her head. She knew fully well that it was possible, she was living proof that it was possible. It just didn't make sense to her and at that moment she just could not seem to cope with the sudden shock of it. "They are dead. Vanished and Balrog."

Thorin and Fili stepped closer, protectively, upon seeing fear on Rylee's face. It was an emotion that he never thought Rylee would ever show, and yet somehow she was fearful of these two people. One was a tall blonde elf, he wore a black uniform of the guards and a thick black cloak, both of which were dusty and dirty from travel. The other was a short blonde dwarrowdam who was struggling to free herself from the blonde elf's grasp.

"Rylee, you are not making any sense," Fili said from in front of her. His voice was filled with concern, in over five weeks he had never seen Rylee act like this, it worried him. He was watching the newcomers carefully. The little Dwarrowdam was certainly feisty as she fought hard against the Elf.

Rylee grabbed hold of the black diamond rose from her tunic and gripped it tight, whispering a small prayer, "Eru, please, help me understand."

"Rylee!" The Dwarrowdam screamed from the Elf's grip, "Let me go Glorfindel! Let me go! That's Rylee!"

"Rylee's gone Jovina, she died fighting Scatha!" Glorfindel hollered back at the Dwarrowdam as he fought to hold her back from molesting the braided girl in the field. Rylee never wore her hair like that, even if she did look a lot like her.

"Let go of me you over tall pointy eared pontificator! That is my ward! Rylee! Rylee!" Jovina yelled kicking him hard in the shins. Rylee wasn't sure whether to be amused or to have a heart attack. Both felt like viable options at that moment.

"Jovina," Rylee whispered as she watched the blond Dwarrowdam. She was wearing thick shapeless black robes that made her look like a lump of coal. Daeron had her by the back of her robe and the woman ducked and allowed the robe to be stripped from her form. She spun and ran towards Rylee. Kili pulled Rylee behind him seconds before she would have been tackled by the female dwarf. Rylee peaked over Kili's shoulder and watched the other female carefully for a moment.

"Who are you?" Jovina asked shortly.

"I could ask you the same thing," Kili countered gruffly. Rylee put her hand on his arm and he looked down at her, but Rylee was studying the Dwarrowdam, the furrow on her brow slowly eased as she took in the ragged Dwarf woman.

"I felt your magic! I felt it and I knew I was in the right place, it took me weeks to get here!" Jovina cried out trying to reach for Rylee only to be stopped by Thorin. "Mahal told me you would be here!"

"You're dead," Rylee whispered hoarsely looking from Jovina to Glorfindel who came up behind Jovina, putting his hand gently onto her shoulder. "Both of you. I saw Jovina vanish in dragon fire and a Balrog drag you off of a cliff. I saw you die!"

"You rode a dragon to its doom the same day," Glorfindel said with a small smirk.

"But the Balrog! You fought on the cliff, you killed it and it fell but it grabbed you and pulled you with it. I saw you fall. I saw you die!" Rylee shook her head trying to think about what happened and what was happening now. She turned to Jovina surveying her, but purposely not meeting her eyes. She was a Dwarrowdam of the First Age, there was no way she could still be alive. She stumbled over her words as she continued, "When? When-, how? How are you here? What happened to you? You disappeared, you were there and then you were gone. The dragon attacked and you were there and then in the flame you were gone, I saw you vanish."

"I was placed into sleep, Mahal told me that my life was bound to yours, I would not be woken until the time was right. I woke up in a Dwarrow Hall many miles south of here. I had to fight off Orcs and Wargs to get to you." Jovina said with excitement, she pulled away and looked into Rylee's shocked electric eyes.

"To that I would say that the Valar has a use for us all. I was re-embodied in the Halls of Awaiting and the Valar sent me back to Middle-Earth." Glorfindel chuckled softly, ignoring the protective scowls of both Fili and Thorin as he and Jovina both stepped forward. "Emitheral, you of all people should be the least shocked."

"And yet it is a terrible shock!" Rylee snapped stepping out from behind Kili. Then she blushed heavily realizing that her words could be taken as an insult. They were not meant to be. "No! Not that I am not happy to see you alive Glorfindel, or you Jovina, it's just, well, just-"

"A terrible shock," Glorfindel beamed at her, enjoying her momentary embarrassment. It was hard to shake Rylee Emitheral, this was just too perfect an opportunity to miss. "Imagine mine upon seeing a short-life Dwarrowdam from the First Age fighting off Orcs while I was on patrol."

"I would imagine you were as stunned as I am now," Rylee whispered trying to choke back a flood of emotion. It wasn't like she and Glorfindel were friends, it was just they were comrades. She fought beside him, saw him die, and she had mourned his death.

"Maybe half as stunned, since there are two of us to surprise you," The tall blonde Elf Lord quipped sardonically. He offered her his hand in a warrior's clasp and she took it, gripping his forearm before giving him a hearty smack on his shoulder.

"Rylee, I see you have become reacquainted with Glorfindel," Galadriel said as she strode up to greet them followed by a pair of dark haired twins to follow in her wake. Rylee recognized them from the painting in the Library the day before. "We were pleased to have him returned to us at the behest of the Valar, he did great service during the War of the Last Alliance. Glorfindel, Elrond wishes to speak with you once you are done here. I will take care of your charge."

"So be it Lady Galadriel," Glorfindel bowed and departed quickly in the direction of the great house.

"Rylee Emitheral, Thorin, Fili, Kili, and Jovina," Galadriel said as an introduction to her grandsons. "I would like to introduce you to Elrond's sons, Elladan and Elrohir."

Rylee bowed before them and smiled, "Well met Elladan and Elrohir."

"It is our pleasure Runyatari, Thorin, Fili, Kili ,and Jovina," said the one Galadriel called Elladan. He offered his hand to Thorin, Fili, and Kili in turn before dropping a quick kiss on Jovina's knuckles.

"You and your company have had quite the adventure thus far Thorin Oakenshield. It may one day pass into legend and song." Elrohir spoke second, and followed his brother's greeting taking each introduction personally, "We have heard a great many things about you Emitheral."

"As well as many great things," Elladan jested looking at the bow that Rylee still held in her hands. "Including the sore luck you have with the bow."

Elrohir rolled his eyes at his brother, "Are you trying to change its course? Father said it always turned to the right."

"Aye, you are correct it does," Rylee grinned watching the banter between the brothers. "Unless Kili distracts me, then I hit the target dead on every time."

"Really?" The twins said in unison.

"We would love to see that," Elladan said with a grin.

"But we have to meet a company of travelers coming from the north." Elrohir continued his sentence. Rylee was reminded of Fili and Kili when they got going together. It must be a brother thing, or maybe just something that close siblings did with each other. "The Dunedain and their secret weapon arrive tonight."

"Come on brother," Elladan said turning away from them, "I have not seen Kalyna for years!"

"Coming!" Elrohir looked back at Rylee and grinned, "It is an honor meeting you. All of you. Hopefully we will be back for your wedding tomorrow."

The twins took off toward the stables and Galadriel chuckled. "You would never guess that the pair of them are a couple thousand years old. They are still so youthful despite what they have seen in their lives."

"They remind me of Elrond and Elros," Rylee laughed and turned back to Jovina who was staring boldly at her. Jovina grabbed her face and held her still and Rylee tried to pull away but she wasn't fast enough. "Jovina!"

"Rylee, I see into the depths of your soul," Jovina said her black eyes grew wide and if possible even darker.

"Please Jovina, this is a horrible idea," Rylee argued trying in vain to break the connection.

"Kind and giving, she cares deeply and loves with her whole heart. She has confidence in herself and her abilities but still wants only to prove her worth in the eyes of her betters. She carries the guilt of one who has seen the greatest horrors of darkness and was powerless to stop it. She worries that she will fail in her quest and that she will bring hardship to you all." Jovina began to slur, but neither woman blinked or moved a muscle. Still Jovina carried on, "She has failed her people before and she is afraid that she will do so again. Darkness follows her. It hunts her and stalks her. It wants to use her." There was a hitch in Jovina's breath, and her eyes began to droop, while Rylee began to stiffen. Thorin could see weakness in both of them, "She fights the essence of her soul because she fears the darkness that lies within her heart."

"I think that is enough," Thorin said softly, as he watched both Rylee and Jovina began to pale as Jovina delved deeper and deeper into Rylee's mind. He was unsure what to do and he looked up at the Elf woman, who wore a look of deep concern.

"Fili, step between them on my mark, Thorin, Kili, be prepared to catch them," Galadriel ordered, her voice was stern and commanding. "Now!"

On Galadriel's signal Fili stepped between the two Dwarrowdams. Kili caught Rylee as she swayed, her grey eyes seemed almost washed out as she blinked up at him. Jovina swayed as well, her eyes blinking slowly and a small trickle of blood came from her nose. Thorin caught her as she collapsed.

"Rylee's power is immense, she will be hard to train," Jovina whispered softly, her voice was so low that only Thorin was able to hear her. She went limp as she fell unconscious. Thorin swept her legs over his other arm and picked her up. She was light within his arms, a small curvaceous dwarrowdam. Her light blond braid trailed behind them as he carried her unconscious body in his arms.

"Hurry we must get them to the Healing Halls," Galadriel ordered as she led the way, her stride long and hurried.

Kili and Thorin carried the small dwarf women off field to the healer's chambers where Galadriel was already gathering cold compresses and smelling salts. They placed Rylee and Jovina onto the cots and stepped back to let Galadriel work.

Galadriel took charge, working with the healers to get the two Dwarrowdams back on their feet. It didn't take much for Rylee, she was merely exhausted and had a headache and needed nourishment, much to the relief of Kili and the others. "I cannot believe you two did this again, you should know better Rylee. You nearly killed her last time."

"I didn't want to Galadriel," Rylee whispered worry coloring her voice. "You know her. I have never met a more stubborn dwarf than she."

"Are you certain she didn't hurt you," Kili said protectively, looking into Rylee's eyes, trying to see if she would lie to him.

"Of course not Kili, Jovina would never harm me," Rylee said quietly. She looked up at him as tears filled her eyes, "I harm her more than she will ever harm me."

"Why is that, Rylee?" Fili asked her as Rylee sat up on her cot, reaching for Kili.

"Because of my powers, I can see through glamour and I can block the magic of others. Jovina's magic allows her to see into a person's soul, she can see a person's aura." Rylee said softly, warily as she looked up at Dwalin, "Just by blocking her powers, I can easily kill Jovina."

"You would never kill Jovina though," Kili said softly rubbing her back soothingly, he kissed her forehead as he watched the guilt flash across her face. "You tried to stop her."

"Jovina is a power unto herself," Galadriel agreed, looking down at her charge as she worked over her, trying to raise the Dwarrowdam's energy. "While I can see into the future and the past, Jovina can see into the soul and see a person's path. Rylee's soul is not like ours, it is vast, immense, and impossible to read. I have tried to see Rylee's path but there are too many paths to see."

"Aye, so many people think that she is some sort of conjurer but she is not, she is truly a seer," Rylee whispered, a sob catching in her throat, "She can see directly into the soul of others and I learned a great deal from her during the short time together about controlling my magic."

"How is that even possible Rylee?" Thorin asked turning towards her from Jovina's bedside.

"My magic is different from what we thought it was. Ilúvatar feels that it is best I learn from Jovina," Rylee told him as she wiped away her tears and steadied her voice, "I thought it was simple blood and fire magic but when I met Jovina, she did a soul search and this happened. We were lucky that Galadriel was there to break the spell and wake Jovina up."

"Why can she teach you and no one else?" Fili asked from beside Kili, he looked at Rylee with a concerned expression. "Why can't Gandalf, Saruman, or Lady Galadriel."

"Because I have searched both her soul and her essence," Jovina whispered from her bed, making everyone turn in her direction, "I have seen her potential. I can guide her to use it."

"I would admonish you Jovina, if I knew that you would listen. Stubborn Dwarrowdam that you are, you never do. Did you learn anything new?" Galadriel asked as she handed Jovina a cold cloth and Jovina pressed it over her sinuses smiling up at the elleth.

"The Valar have called it the Language of Light, and she can control three types of flame." Jovina said looking at Rylee across the room. "She will need to learn all three in order to complete her quest. I am delighted to see you again Galadriel."

"And I you, mellon nin," Galadriel smiled down at the Dwarf woman as she grabbed a glass of water. She stirred in several herbs before handing it to Jovina to drink, which she did without question. "When I didn't find you in the tunnels and with the other survivors of Gondolin I thought the worst, until I recently saw you on a path. We all mourned you."

"It was either death by dragon or sleeping until Rylee needed me again," Jovina smiled sadly looking from Galadriel to Rylee and back again, "I chose the latter, Rylee needs me to help her find her potential. Her power is immense, if she doesn't learn to use it properly it will kill her."

"Who have you told of this Rylee?" Thorin asked quietly.

"No one," Rylee whispered, looking down at her feet, "I have told no one. Only Jovina knew of my potential. Manwë told me of it when I visited Valinor with Irmo."

"That has to stop now," Jovina said from her cot, "You will need to train daily and openly, if you are to have any control over your magic."

Thorin looked between the three women, an Elf, a Dwarf, and the Daughter of Mahal. By their friendly banter, they knew each other quite well. He recalled how the Elf had ingratiated herself into their company the night before, melding in with them. By the end of the evening most of his Company was in her thrall.

"I have to agree with Jovina," Galadriel said thoughtfully, looking at Rylee and then at Thorin. "The more training Rylee has, the better her chances are at success in this endeavor of yours."

"And what would you know of it?" Thorin asked as his defenses rose. He had not yet shared his map or the knowledge of the key, he had not even spoken of the Lonely Mountain.

"I have seen your path, as I have seen the paths of many others. Your journey will end in doom if you do not heed Jovina's advice," Galadriel told him. Then she looked over at Rylee, "I only came to inform you that Rohinna is planning your Last Night, you are to meet me in the Main Gardens at sunset. I will need your help gathering what we need. Try not to be late?"

"Right," Rylee nodded and met her gaze.

"You may get up now Jovina, but do not use your powers on Rylee again," Galadriel smiled at the blonde dwarrowdam. "I would hate to lose you so soon after just seeing you returned to us. You will come to Rylee's Last Night, we will be holding it at the House of Aulë."

"Last night?" Jovina said in surprise as she sat up, looking over at Rylee. She seemed thinner than she remembered, but then Rylee always lost weight when she worked in the forge for any length of time. Her eyes landed on her face and hair. "Rylee Emitheral you are wearing a braid! Eru's braid! Who is he? Show me him who holds your heart."

Kili helped Rylee from her cot and they moved together to Jovina's side. Galadriel slipped out of the room silently with a small smile on her face, only Rylee noticed her leave. Galadriel was not one to say goodbye or farewell. She entered every room with grace and left on a breeze, most people never even realized she was gone until her presence was no more. Not knowing what else to do with this odd turn of events, Rylee started to make introductions, "Kili, this is Jovina. Jovina, this is Kili, my One."

Rylee and Kili offered their hands to help Jovina down from the cot and once she was standing, looked down at the petite dwarrowdam. She was a few inches shorter than Rylee, her bright blonde hair was braided back from her face in a singular long plait that fell to her knees. She wore thick brown breaches, a long green silk tunic that was elaborately embroidered along the cuffs and hems, and a heavy red leather corset that accentuated her wide hips, her narrow waist, and her bountiful bosom. Her nose was small for a dwarf and her brows were thin and finely arched. It was her eyes that caught him though. Dark as night, not a single other color in them. He could almost feel her reaching into him and examining his spirit from the inside out.

"Let me look at you lad," Jovina said standing square to him, sizing him up, her black eyes looked right through him. It was like she was searching his soul. "Hmm, yes, I see it. Mahal is right about you, I think your fire is a match to hers. A skilled warrior, you match her in ability and are just as reckless. You will do."

She bowed before him and Kili returned the favor saying, "Shamukh, ra galikh ai-mâ Jovina."

"He has manners as well!" Jovina quipped and looked at Rylee with a grin, "Hail, and well met Kili."

"Thorin, Fili," Rylee said turning to the others who were watching with blatant curiosity, "It is my honor to introduce you to Jovina Malagnûna. She was of the Blacklocks clan and was my hostess during my first and second quests until her disappearance during the Fall of Gondolin. She is from the First Age."

Fili stepped forward beside his brother and bowed to the woman and met her eyes, offering a smile, and repeated the same greeting as his brother, "Shamukh, ra galikh ai-mâ Jovina."

"Hail, and well met to you as well young warrior," Jovina bowed to Fili turning her appraising eyes on him. After a moment she said, "Other than the obvious kinship with Durin you are well bred, arrogant in the ways of one who knows his place, yet not unkind with an open heart and a bright smile. Mischievous and cunning you are a hearty and courageous warrior, you look out for these two, you feel it is your duty. Rylee cares deeply for you."

"Does she now?" Fili grinned widely, flicking his eyes to Rylee who was standing beside her friend watching with a great deal of curiosity and excitement, "I care greatly for her as well."

"I can see that," Jovina nodded giving him a friendly smile, showing her even white teeth.

Thorin stepped up offering his hand to the Dwarrowdam, and was hit by the hardest stare he ever encountered. Her eyes were blacker than the darkest coal, it was like falling into a void, there was nothing to distinguish her pupil from her iris and it looked like she could see right through him. Her eyes were framed by thick pale eyelashes and fine thinly arched brows. Her thick blonde hair was plaited back and away from her heart shaped face. She had a small cherub's nose and a cupid's bow mouth. Only the fine soft waves of her long silky sideburns were kept out of her main braid and those she had plaited and woven with green jewels. She was not beautiful in the sense that the elves were, but she was stunning nonetheless.

"Thorin, son of Thrain, at your service my lady," Thorin said respectfully, she placed both of her hands in his and he kissed her knuckles on each one before lowering and releasing them.

"Hail and well met Thorin," Jovina said softly, her voice was barely above a whisper as she looked up at the dark haired Heir of Erebor. His blue eyes were like glacial pools as he met her gaze unrelenting, and she immediately knew that this was the man who taught Rylee. The nuances and stature and bearing were all the same. There was a darkness in his soul, and it was at war with the bright searing light that was within him. He was a very troubled spirit, this was the one Rylee would have to save if she wanted to save the others. She wanted to know more about him and Rylee and her betrothed gave her the perfect means to do just that.

"It seems that I have interrupted Rylee's courting day, I cannot take up her time as it belongs to her beloved. Would you be so kind as to escort me to this Lord Elrond character? I need to see him regarding my accommodations. Along the way, you can tell me what has transpired since Rylee has arrived."

"Of course, come this way, my lady," Thorin nodded and looked at Rylee and Kili who were both looking at each other with stunned expressions. "I will see you tonight Kili. Rylee, I will see you tomorrow evening."

"Good day Thorin. Jovina, be kind," Rylee met the woman's eyes before turning back to Kili. She missed the amused grin that brightened Jovina's face and the confused look that Thorin gave her. Rylee whispered to Kili, "She is unrelenting when she wants information and she sees everything. Never roll your eyes at her and don't bother keeping secrets. She is like a ferret with a piece of meat."

"I heard that Rylee!" Jovina called as she walked away.

"'Tis the truth Jovina," Rylee called back, there was warmth in her voice, but there was also caution and worry. Kili looked at Rylee and she gave him a small smile. "She is wonderful, really, it's just that she can see through people and sometimes she speaks without thought. She can come off as brutally unkind. She is not I swear it, Jovina is the most caring woman I have ever met."

"I believe you Rylee," Kili assured her gently, he wondered what this woman's arrival meant for their quest, surely Rylee would not want Jovina to be left behind.

Thorin and Jovina were silent as they walked together towards the main house where Lord Elrond would be found. Neither seemed to be sure how to start a conversation with the other. Thorin wondered how on earth this woman came to be in their time. She was a friend of Rylee's, someone that she trusted with her life. Thorin should be grateful to her for that alone, but for some reason he did not trust her or at least he was unwilling to trust her until he had proof that she was trustworthy, Dwarrowdam or not.

"You have darkness in your soul Thorin Oakenshield, it clouds your judgment and causes you to distrust those who would give you peace," Jovina said quietly, she was tumbling the information over and over again in her tired mind. "Rylee hopes to rid you of that darkness but you will fight her, even though you love her dearly. If she is to save the others, she will need to save you first."

For many days she travelled to arrive in Rivendell, for many days she fought the horrors of the open road. Jovina hated to travel. She was not fond of leaving the safety of her home and much preferred to keep to herself since she rarely enjoyed the company of others. Meeting new people was tiring and often heartbreaking, she could see into their souls and most people had one direct path, monotonous boring lives. Others like Thorin, his nephews, and Rylee, had several paths. It was people like them, the adventurers that made her life both interesting and exhausting.

"What could you possibly know of me, Miss Jovina, we have never met before," Thorin said as his defenses rose at her words.

"You prove my point," Jovina replied cryptically, as they walked side by side down the cobbled path towards a massive house that stood at the edge of the plateau. "You do not trust Galadriel, an Elf maiden who has proven herself loyal to the people of Mahal again and again. Not just for Rylee's sake either."

"I heard that she sent warning about the fall of Beleriand to the Dwarves of Belegost," Thorin said gruffly, he didn't see what the point of this was. He didn't see why he should trust one elleth when everything he knew of elves was in direct contradiction of what he knew of her.

"So Beleriand fell," Jovina said quietly. She was introspective for a long moment before she continued, "That was not what I was talking about. After Rylee left to kill Glaurung, Galadriel had a vision. It foretold that Doriath was going to be betrayed by the Nogrod Dwarves. This was not a surprise to me since Rylee never trusted the emissaries of Nogrod from the first day. Galadriel's vision foretold of a great betrayal, that the dwarves would do harm to King Thingol and their betrayal would lead to the massacre of a sea of Nogrod Dwarves. She feared that there would be repercussions on the innocent Dwarves of Belegost. Durin, Eridith, and I went to Belegost to tell of her warning."

"When we arrived there we found that a large exodus of Nogrod Dwarves found shelter in Belegost for fear that their King was becoming too greedy and violent. Telchar and Gamil Zirak were the leaders of these people, they told us a horrid tale of how the King of Nogrod was turning away from the teachings of Mahal. Our warning only confirmed what they already feared," Jovina continued on meeting Thorin's gaze upon occasion, "It came to pass just as Galadriel foretold. The Lord of Belegost received a request for troops to aid in the war against Doriath and the Lord denied the King of Nogrod, telling them that they were on their own, he even tried to dissuade the King, but to no avail. When the Elves and Ents came to the gates we were able to convince them that the Nogrod acted on their own and that we were still allies of those against Morgoth. Because of Galadriel's warning thousands of innocent dwarves were able to make it to the safety of Khazad-Dum. Only Warriors, Smiths, and a few others remained behind to help our allies in the fight against Morgoth. I was one of the few who stayed."

"So you are saying that I would be wise to trust Galadriel, when in my own experience I have found elves to be creatures of duplicity," Thorin scoffed shaking his head, trying to deny what he was hearing. He remembered the old tales. One of the few halls in the old caverns of Belegost that was not destroyed by the sea was the Hall of Records. Within it were journals depicting tales of Rylee's battles, the treachery of the Nogrod, the bitter feud it started, and the sacrifices of an Elf maiden that was known to send word of her visions. Her name was smudged beyond recognition, but the description of the Elf maiden's beauty was intact and it suited Galadriel to perfection. Thorin shook the thoughts away, 'It could not be her. Could it?' "I do not think it would be wise to go against my own instincts on this matter."

"I can see into you, your aura, and your spirit. You have many paths to take and yet you always choose the darkest one. What will it take for Rylee to open your eyes to the path of the light?" Jovina asked cryptically.

"Rylee has her own darkness to deal with, she should not be so troubled with mine," Thorin said brushing off the woman's words. He was no darker than the daylight. Who did she think she was to make such judgments about him?

"She is stronger than you are, wiser," Jovina scoffed at him and as Thorin opened his mouth to protest she continued, "and you know it, so don't dare argue about it. Now tell me of your journey, and don't bother with the secrets and underhanded manipulations you princes and kings are so fond of. My father was a king, I can see right through them."

"I am not telling you of our quest," Thorin growled at her, shooting her a dark look. "I do not know you and as much as I trust Rylee, I do not trust you."

"I care not of your quest, I want to know of your journey," Jovina waved him off as though the quest was of no importance to her. "I am here for Rylee and Rylee alone. If I am to assist her in her quest, I need to know of her journey since she arrived. As her Ugshar, you are the best person to tell me what she has seen and done."

"How do you know I am her Ugshar?" Thorin asked with surprise.

"She told me of you and the words you told her," Jovina told him shooting him a glance, she did not miss the pain in his eyes as he remembered the words he told the girl. "Regardless of what you said, she loves you dearly and every day she tries to prove herself in your eyes."

"She has nothing to prove," Thorin said quietly, as they walked along, he noticed that she did not use her staff as a walking stick as many who wielded the weapons were wont to do. She carried it as though always at the ready, in case of attack. "If I were to have had children, I would raise them to be like her."

"You think it is too late?" Jovina asked quietly, he sounded like he thought he was near the grave, and spoke like a dead man. Bloody kings and their 'duty before life' way of doing things!

"I am 195 years old," Thorin chuckled quietly, "Even if I were to meet my One, I am beyond the years of raising children. I would much more enjoy seeing my nephews raise families of their own. Rylee would make a great mother, just as she will make a great princess of Erebor one day."

Jovina looked at him thoughtfully. She herself could not have children, but seeing Rylee with a child of her own would bring her the greatest joy. "Aye, she just needs guidance and a steady hand, which you have. Now tell me of your journey."

"She arrived in the Shire, in the Hobbit Hole of Mr. Baggins, Mahal dropped her into Kili's lap," Thorin began the tale of their journey from the shire, telling her all that he knew of Rylee's journey so far. Not realizing that he was also coloring the tale from his own perspective.

Jovina heard it as a tale of an uncle and mentor watching two of his charges fall hard and fast in love. She heard the wonder and fear and frustration as he told her of Rylee's magic and her and Kili's battle with the cold drake. He told her of the horrible dreams that plagued her and the constant use of fire to cleanse the darkness away. She was more than aware that there would be a great deal of information left out. From the closeness she saw between Rylee and Kili, there were many secrets between them. Jovina didn't need to know their romance; she needed to know their trials. Thorin was more aware of the darkness hunting Rylee than he would normally have let on. The hunting that Rylee did on a daily basis was just a taste of what was to come.

"You said that you were here for her," Thorin said when he was done with his account of their journey. He had included everything to the moment Jovina arrived. So Jovina knew all of what he did of Rylee's quest and who she was meant to save. "You are meant to assist her on her quest, which means that you are meant to help myself and my nephews. If Rylee has not yet seen what is to come, how are you to help her?"

"I am to help her learn to control her magic, without control she will not be able to unleash the power that lies within her, or focus it into the Star of Ilúvatar when the time comes." Jovina told him. She was well aware of his dislike of Rylee's use of magic, not only had the girl told her about it, but she heard it in his tone when he spoke of it.

"The Star is missing, it was stolen long ago," Thorin said with no shortage of anger in his voice. He knew that the star was important and it still angered him that Rylee was rendered weak enough for it to be stolen from her. "The suitor I told you about, his father took it while Rylee was unconscious. He gave it to his son as a token of her acceptance for the suit."

"Then we must find it and restore it to Rylee, without the Star of Ilúvatar there is no hope of saving any of you," Jovina snapped with indignation. "Until then I have much to teach her."

"It is the use of magic that steals her energy," Thorin argued with her, worrying about the danger to Rylee, "You will make her weaker by teaching her."

"I will strengthen her by teaching her, her magic is like an unused muscle, the less she uses it the more it will hurt her to use it." Jovina snapped in argument, "If you want her to become stronger, then she will need to learn to wield her power and not fear it. To do that she must use her magic every day."

"I will not allow you to harm her," Thorin turned on the woman beside him, "She is dear to me, I will not see her weakened."

"I only want to give her strength Thorin," Jovina shook her head and took Thorin's hand in her own, "She has the Strength of Tulkas, the Creativity of Mahal, the Grace of Nienna and the Light of Varda. She is as strong as a Maia, but she needs to be trained. If you wish her to succeed in her quest, so that you can succeed in yours, then you must allow for her to learn to control and wield this power."

Thorin looked down at his large hand, held gently in her smaller ones, one on each side of his hand. He met her eyes and could feel himself being pulled into the all consuming blackness of her all seeing eyes. It was disconcerting. "Whatever you intend will have to wait until after her honeymoon days with Kili. I will not have their time marred by anyone, for any purpose. The pair deserves some happiness."

"On this we agree," Jovina nodded, releasing Thorin's hand and turning back to the road before them. Thorin resumed walking, escorting her into the massive building and to the great study where he knew that Lord Elrond would be working in. To his surprise, Gandalf and Saruman were also inside and it seemed that they were all expecting Jovina.

"Thorin, Jovina, come in, come in!" Gandalf said with a smile. "Lord Elrond, Saruman, I am pleased to introduce you to Princess Jovina Malagnûna of the Blacklocks clan of dwarves from the First Age."

"I am sorry, but do I know you, wizard?" Jovina glowered up at the grey wizard trying to meet his crystal blue eyes.

"Not in this life, I am afraid, you do know me by another face and another name," Gandalf said sagely there was something familiar in his eyes, and it took her a moment to find it. "In this life I am called Gandalf."

"Maia Olorin, you have placed your soul in an Istari body, I should have known." Jovina said with a half smile. She turned to the other wizard and met his gaze, his Ebony eyes met her own and they both made assessments as to what they saw within. When she spoke her voice was cryptic if not a little cold, "Have a care Saruman, such a fall will cause pain to those who hold you dear."

The white wizard looked down at the small Dwarrowdam, there was power within her. It was not a magic like his own, but she did have clear sight, she could see what others could not. He wondered if there was something coming in his future that he needed to be aware of, if there was an injury or some other fortune to come, that he would receive such a cryptic warning from her.

"Glorfindel told me of your arrival, Princess Jovina," Lord Elrond looked down at her appraisingly, meeting her dark eyes. They both were quiet for a long moment before Jovina nodded in acceptance.

"It is just Jovina. I have long disowned my father and his people." Jovina said shortly, shooting him a dark look. Thorin had to stop himself from chucking at the pair of them. They were at a stand-off, Jovina may have disowned her family, but she had not lost any of the regal poise that was bred into those of noble birth. "Now I do believe that we have much to discuss about the Orcs that are coming up from the south. There is a horde there in a dwarven mine, great massive beasts, along with Wargs, trolls, and other beasts. They are desecrating the wondrous halls of Khazad-dûm. Durin would roll in his grave if he knew what was happening to his home."

"Orcs have resided in Moria for quite some time now, what of it?" Saruman said, looking ready to dismiss her claim outright, but Gandalf looked ever more intrigued and disgruntled.

"When I woke, I was inside the mines," Jovina declared looking from face to face, "Those Orcs look as though they are preparing for war. They leave in groups, heading out the east gate. I did hear them say where they were going but I am unsure of the name, they were speaking the Black Speech and I am not familiar with more than a few words."

"This is foul news indeed," Gandalf said with his brow furrowed in frustration.

"Of course it is foul, Orcs are never pleasant. I had to slay scores of them to get here and even then the paths were quite treacherous. It took me several weeks. By my guess it was the end of April when I first woke and it is now mid June!" Jovina told them.

"What purpose are you here for Miss Jovina?" Gandalf asked her quietly, "What purpose would the Valar have in putting you to sleep in Moria? Why would they wake you now? It has been over six thousand years since you were last seen."

"I am here for Rylee, my fate is tied to hers," Jovina stated the obvious truth. She looked at Thorin for a long moment before turning her all seeing black eyes to Gandalf. "Mahal told me that I was to help her learn to wield her magic, it is the only way that she is going to succeed in her quest."

"So you will be joining the Company when they are ready to depart?" Gandalf said with a knowing nod of his head.

Thorin stiffened, since when was he omitted from discussions of this nature? It was his company, he should be the first consulted and others should not be included without his express permission. He grit his teeth and said nothing for the moment.

"If that is where I need to be at the time, then yes," Jovina nodded succinctly. She noticed that Gandalf was thinking deeply about what she told him about the Orcs. She would need to talk to him privately later. There was something greater happening in this age than a simple quest. Something much darker. "My path may lead away from Rylee when required, but ultimately it is tied to hers."

"I see," Gandalf said quietly.

"Very well then Miss Jovina, I will have a room prepared for you for the duration of your stay," Lord Elrond told her with a polite nod, calling for one of the hand maids that were nearby. "Please prepare a room near the Company's quarters for Miss Jovina, and I am certain that after several weeks on the road she would like a bath, food, and some clean clothes while hers are cleaned and mended."

"Yes My Lord Elrond, Please come this way miss," The maid said with a shallow bow, leading the way out of the study. Jovina looked at the girl but did not yet follow.

"Thorin, is everything prepared for the wedding tomorrow?" Gandalf asked as Thorin was about to turn to leave.

"Aye, the ceremony will take place tomorrow at twilight as planned," Thorin met the grey wizard's eyes, then he turned to Jovina as she made her way to the door. "I will walk with you Miss Jovina, if you will give me but a moment?"

"Why thank you Thorin," Jovina smiled and waited at the door for him to catch up.

Thorin turned to Lord Elrond, Saruman, and Gandalf, he knew that Rylee would not be able to ask her questions for several days. "Rylee informed us that her titles still stand. Is it wise to maintain such a hold over her when she is so obviously unhappy with the accord?"

"It is unfortunate but the edict was written with magic, her crown cannot be removed until the terms have been fulfilled," Lord Elrond nodded, his voice somber and quiet. "If I could change this for her, I would, but she is bound to her oath. If war rises against darkness in Middle-Earth she will be summoned to lead her people."

"Aye, very unfortunate," Thorin said gruffly looking up at the Elf. "I understand why they chose her, she is quite capable, but she is much more vulnerable than even she will admit. She is lucky to have friends who are willing to stand behind her regardless of their race or their beginnings."

"You are quite right, Thorin Oakenshield. Rylee's praise of you seems to be quite justified."Elrond smiled down at the Dwarf King, "But I was under the impression that you do not look fondly upon the Firstborn of Ilúvatar."

"I am finding that not all Elves are like their kin to the east. My god-daughter seems to have chosen her friends well, and I trust her judgment." Thorin conceded quietly, giving Jovina a sidelong glance. Rylee was friends with Elrond and Galadriel. Thus far neither of them gave him any reason to doubt their word. Though he held Galadriel in a better place than Lord Elrond, she at least had both Rylee and Jovina to vouch for her. Her deeds in the First Age were a factor as well, if he had to admit it.

"It is interesting you should say that," Lord Elrond said with a smirk, "Celeborn said much the same about Dwarves once. He told me once that Rylee would stay far and clear from the Emissary from Nogrod and when he asked her why she simply said, 'Durin's folk may seem uncouth and unpolished, but they are gentle souls within hard, strong stone forms. Then there are those who are made of stone, within and without, those are from Nogrod.' Rylee trusted Durin's folk and the Dwarves of Belegost above all others, but according to Celeborn she never trusted the Dwarves from Nogrod. Galadriel had a vision that confirmed what Rylee felt."

"I heard about that, it was thanks to Lady Galadriel that the people of Belegost were able to escape harm not once, but twice," Thorin nodded at the Elf Lord. He didn't need to hear the tale again, but it was nice to hear that Rylee commanded the respect of both Elves and Dwarves. He wondered if she commanded the same respect of Men. "I will take my leave now, we will be holding Kili's last night at the winery this evening, you are all invited to join us if you wish."

"We will be in meeting for much of the evening, but we will join you after that," Gandalf smiled with an amused glimmer in his eyes.

Thorin frowned but nodded in thanks and then turned away. He joined Jovina at the door and took her arm, they followed the Elf maid down the hall. He waited until they were well on their way, before he turned to Jovina with a thoughtful look and said, "Jovina, would you by chance be interested in participating in the ceremony tomorrow? I was going to ask Elihara to step up for Rylee, but it seems that she is tied to you and it would be more fitting that you step up for her."

"I would be honored, Thorin," Jovina smiled brightly and Thorin blinked at her. Her face lit up from within, and he could not believe the radiance of it.

"Very well," Thorin said with a slight nod as they continued down the corridor, "Now that that is taken care of, we can get on with our day. Miss Jovina, once you are shown to your quarters, would you like me to introduce you to the remainder of the company? I can escort you to the House of Mahal when the Company is ready to go to the Winery."

"That might be wise, if I am to be part of the wedding tomorrow," Jovina said with a smile, turning to follow the maid, "And perhaps we should discuss my joining the Company, since you are not comfortable with my presence as of yet and do not wish me to accompany you."

"You are not coming," Thorin said quietly, "It has been difficult enough with Rylee, and she is a War Maiden of The Valar. The last thing the Company needs is another Dwarrowdam to watch over, one who is not trained by the Valar to fight Dragons, much less."

"I knew you would say that," Jovina said with a soft smile, "Has it been difficult because she hunts the very darkness that chases her? Or is it because she is a daughter to you and you do not wish to see her come to harm?"

"Of course I do not want to see her come to harm, Dwarrowdams are rare and precious." Thorin shot her a dark look, taking in her bright blonde hair and her fathomless black eyes. "I do not know what it was like in the First Age, but in this Age Dwarves outnumber Dwarrowdams three to one. We protect our women fiercely. Having Rylee with us has nearly driven Kili to distraction. We are not accustomed to our Dwarrowdams purposely putting themselves in harm's way."

"Times have most definitely changed. You are much more respectful of your Dwarrowdams in this Age than in the First. Regardless, I will be joining you along the road Thorin," Jovina stated, she said it as though it was a certainty and as though it was a long decided end. "I may not leave Rivendell with you, but I will be accompanying Rylee to where ever she needs to go. It is my quest."

Thorin decided to let the argument go, there was no point, she was not leaving with them. He could not allow another Dwarrowdam to endanger herself on this quest. It was enough that Rylee was with them and she was trained for this life. He could not argue with her presence amongst the company. This Seer however, he could leave her in the safety of Rivendell.

* * *

Kili took Rylee to Elihara and Elorin's for a private afternoon that he arranged for Rylee. Elihara and Elorin were being entertained in the courtyard of the dwarves, such attachments were being made between the Company and the couple that there was talk of them joining the Company. Unfortunately Elorin and Elihara had responsibilities and obligations that prevented them from doing so. If anything they were considering moving there once Erebor was reclaimed. This bothered Elorin, he felt it wrong to not be there to aid his new friends when they needed as many allies as they could get. Thorin waved it off saying that they had come this far with just sixteen members. The fewer numbers, the better to confuse the dragon who would be expecting a full army. Still, the couple promised to follow the company as soon as they could.

Meanwhile, Kili wanted to prove to Rylee that she should not worry about the fact she could not cook, so he arranged with Elihara to have the use of her kitchen for the evening. He would have used the kitchen in the House of Mahal, but it was forbidden for Kili to enter Rylee's home before the wedding. Normally the bride would join her husband in the home he created for them, but since they were on the road, and the only home available was the one built in honor of Mahal, they had to improvise. The day of the wedding, the house would be cleaned and prepared for the married couple. It would be blessed by the elves in the name of Mahal, the maker of dwarves, to be used as a place of binding union until the couple could build their own home together.

"Why are we in a kitchen Kili?" Rylee asked, warily looking around as he escorted her to a chair at the table. Her eyes were big when she took in the clean countertops and the large work surface. She stared at the massive cast iron stove and oven set with a look of horror, "You know how I feel about kitchens and cooking."

"That is why you will be sitting there enjoying a cup of tea and my company while I make you dinner." Kili said as he gently pushed her into the cushioned chair, dropping a kiss on her nose once she was seated. "You do not have to lift a finger if you don't want to."

"You are going to cook for me Kili?" Rylee asked softly, her eyes wide, a soft smile lifting her lips.

"Well yes, it seems to be the one thing that you are most concerned about. You seem terrified about the idea that we will starve, I want to assure you that we won't." Kili chuckled as he set to work getting the fire in the stove up to the right temperature. He could feel her eyes on him as he worked and when he turned he found her watching with bright curious eyes. For someone who said she didn't like to cook, she was certainly interested in what he was doing so he asked, "Are you certain you don't want to help?"

She shook her head vigorously, "The moment I go near a fire it reacts to me. I can't control low temperatures, I just have control over the high temperatures which is why I can use a forge but not an oven."

"You know that cooking isn't all about the stove and fire right?" Kili quirked his brow at her and watched her face as it crinkled in confusion. "Rylee, there is a lot of preparation in cooking that has nothing to do with the fire or the stove."

"It's boring, I hate sitting in one spot, peeling potatoes or measuring out every ingredient and it takes so long! Then the moment it's time to cook it, poof! Disaster strikes." Rylee rolled her eyes at him, they fell into silence as he worked. He still felt her eyes on him and still she watched him as he began to prepare the vegetables; slicing potatoes, onions, carrots, and other root vegetables, piling everything into a heavy roasting pan as he went, "You didn't peel the potatoes. You just scrubbed them! The carrots too! I thought you had to peel them!"

"Most of the flavor is in the peels Rylee, why take them off when they taste good?" Kili smirked at her. He looked up and she was out of her chair, leaning over the work space, watching intently. He poured in a small amount of water and several pinches of spices as he went.

"How do you know what spices go together? You don't even have a recipe book. Don't you have to measure them out? Surely you can't just put in a pinch of everything and expect it to taste good." Rylee said as she picked up each of the spice containers, reading them and smelling them then setting them aside. She picked up the pepper and fell into a bout of sneezing as she took a tentative sniff. Kili could not help but laugh at her until she picked up the end of a carrot and hit him in the forehead with it.

He looked up in surprise and saw a look of half annoyance and half mischief. Kili dropped his knife and went after her, she ran and he chased her around the kitchen and into the formal seating area that lay beyond the dining room. He finally caught her against a lounging chair, tickling her until she was begging him for forgiveness. Tears were streaming down her face, "Please Kili, no more!"

He realized that he had her pinned under him on the lounge chair, her curvaceous body trapped between his legs, his hands still caressed her ribs. The deep red of her hair was spread around them like flames against the dark fabric beneath her. Her breath came in uneven gasps, her electric eyes were bright with white sparks. The temptation she offered was intense. He cleared his throat and moved off of her, his voice was strained as he whispered, "For that you have to help me. Come on Rylee, into the kitchen."

"But what if I mess it up?" Rylee asked dragging her feet as he pulled her after him.

"You won't," Kili said as he pulled her up to the countertop. He placed a heavy lid onto the roasting pan and carried it to the oven, once it was in he turned back to Rylee who was looking at the oven like it was some great terrifying beast or monster. "You don't have to go anywhere near the stove Rylee, I won't make you do that."

"Promise?" Rylee asked him, her face was serious and almost sad. "I don't want to burn down Elihara's kitchen."

"I promise, you're just going to help me prepare the meat cuts Bombur gave us." Kili said seriously. He pulled her into his arms and ran his hands up and down her back. Massaging and soothing away the tension that he could feel in her. He could tell that she had a great fear of the destruction that she could cause with her fire. "And perhaps you can help me mix up some pan biscuits. The only person going near the stove or oven will be me. Okay?"

"Okay," She whispered leaning into him. He had her help tenderize and season the meat, telling her about which spices complimented each other. She asked him dozens of questions, about spices, preparation, properly cutting and dressing the meat. She relaxed as they worked at the block table together, only stiffening when he checked on the roasting vegetables.

When they made the pan biscuits he had Rylee stir and sure enough she got flour everywhere until he showed her a technique that worked. She helped him cut the dough and put it into the pans so he could cook them. When it finally came down to the actual cooking of the meat and the pan biscuits, she retreated back into her seat with a fresh cup of tea, content to just watch him as he worked. The moment Kili mentioned that the meat was almost done Rylee jumped out of her seat and started setting the small table for the two of them. She didn't want him to have to do all the work, and she felt better knowing that she could help in the small ways.

When they were finally settled together with their meal in front of them, Kili was suddenly nervous. He knew that Rylee loved food, she always enjoyed the food that Bombur made, and he was a skilled cook. Kili only knew what his mother taught him. It wasn't until after Rylee's first few bites that he relaxed. Her hums of appreciation and her obvious appetite eased his mind. "Hmm, Kili, don't ever tell Bombur, but I think I prefer your cooking. It is so good!"

"That's not fair to Bombur since you have only ever had his travelling fare but if you are handing out compliments I will take happily take them," Kili grinned at her and she smiled back. That was a very high compliment and he wondered if she was just saying it to be kind. "So what happened when you were cooking, how did you burn down Nienna's kitchen?"

"Well the first time we were simply making scrambled eggs, I was cracking the eggs into the pan and the flames just shot up to meet my hands. I didn't really notice until Nienna screamed and threw water on me and the stove, but the grease in the pan splattered onto the wall behind the stove and the flames went up the wall," Rylee smiled sheepishly, "Mahal had to build her a new kitchen."

"And the second time?" Kili chuckled softly.

"Ooo, well that time she was teaching me to make dinner rolls. As you saw earlier, the flour was everywhere and I mean everywhere. I was coated, the table, the floor, even Nienna was covered in flour by the time we had the rolls placed onto the pan." Rylee blushed deeply before she plunged on. These were probably her most embarrassing stories of her childhood, but Kili wanted to know so she pushed on. She had learned long ago to laugh at them. "I opened the oven door and placed the pan on the rack and the fire just exploded out. It was a massive fireball, I was afire and the buns turned to rock almost immediately before they turned slowly to ash. The flour on the floor and on the counters smoldered slowly and it stank to high heaven. Nienna just barely escaped the blaze and had to use her powers to stop the flames. Oromë was in the area and seeing the smoke, came to help. He took one look at the pair of us and called me Ashes, 'cause I was coated in them and Nienna, Snowdrop, since she was still covered in flour. We were both mortified!"

"I take it Mahal had to rebuild the kitchen again?" Kili was laughing at her, not even trying to keep his face straight.

"He did," Rylee smiled shyly, chuckling softly. "The third time we-"

"Wait, you burned down her kitchen three times?" Kili's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

Rylee snorted and lowered her eyes. She never told anyone these stories, she would tell people that she could not cook or take jibes at herself and make jokes about it, but no one ever really believed her about how bad it really was. "Nienna's three times and Yavanna's once."

"Oh Rylee," Kili grinned, sighed, and shook his head in commiseration.

"Yeah, yeah," Rylee waved off his pity and grinned at him. He would be the one cooking for them, as long as he cooked they wouldn't have to worry about her burning down their kitchen. "So, the third time I was making a turkey-"

"Why did she make it harder? You couldn't even make eggs!" Kili looked at her thinking she was pulling his leg, but her eyes were wide open, her cheeks flushed in humiliation. She looked down at her plate. She took a bite, chewed, and swallowed before she answered him.

"Because I wanted turkey for dinner?" She said softly, her voice innocent and sweet. He thought for a moment that she was upset, since her shoulders were shaking softly, but then she snorted and started to giggle softly. She met his eyes and they were sparkling with merriment, "Nienna wasn't there and I wanted to surprise her. Everything went okay until I went to put it in the oven. I thought I had the fire under control. I was using my magic and controlling the flame. I closed the oven and walked away. I went to sit down but the moment my back was turned the fire rose, I turned to look back and the oven was red. I mean this was a black wrought Iron stove, it should never have turned red, but there it was the color of my hair."

Rylee's eyes were open wide, her eyes luminous in the afternoon light. A wry smile lifted her lips as she continued her tale of her hazardous kitchen expeditions, "I tried to use my magic to lower the temperature, but it only got hotter. Soon the stove was melting into the floor everything was out of control. Just then Nienna walked into the house and it exploded. There was molten iron all over the walls. Nienna stood in the doorway to the kitchen and was covered in soot from head to toe. Her brothers, my uncles Námo and Irmo, walked in after her and looked at us. Námo shook his head, looked at Irmo, and said, 'I told you, we should have called them Spitfire and Smudge.' Irmo laughed and said 'I am sticking with Soot and Silt.' Then he looked around and said, 'Aulë is not going to be happy about rebuilding this kitchen again.'"

"So how did the turkey turn out?" Kili asked as he laughed with her.

"Extra crispy, there wasn't even enough juice left to make gravy," Rylee laughed heartily. "I was so mortified at the time, I swore off cooking right then and there. We both stank to high heaven. Thank goodness for Yavanna's soaps and oils or we would never have come clean. Irmo and Námo teased us relentlessly and the nicknames lasted for years until well, you know, until I ran away."

"Wait, how old were you?" Kili asked in confusion, she ran away at twenty-three.

"I was twelve." Rylee grinned at him, "I could barely see over the counter tops, I was climbing on chairs and stepstools, but I was determined to learn to cook."

"So what happened in Yavanna's kitchen?" Kili asked after he swallowed a bite of potatoes.

"I wasn't even the one cooking, Thorin was visiting from the Path of Dreams and I was so excited to train with him, I just ran through the kitchen in a hurry to grab my training sword from my bedroom. When I came back through, Yavanna and Mahal were trying to smother the flames, I think I was nine or ten at the time." Rylee shook her head with a smile, she speared a carrot with her fork and pointed it at him, "It's your turn. Tell me something embarrassing from your childhood."

Rylee cleared her plate and went back for more. Something Rylee never did. He could not help but comment, "Wow you have a big appetite tonight, I have never seen you eat so much."

"It's the fortification tea. The Master Healer prescribed it since I basically emaciated myself while in the forge." Rylee said thoughtfully as she sipped it. "It certainly has helped a lot. I was able to lift that sword yesterday, which would have been impossible without the tea. I have been forbidden to resume drinking Moon tea until after my next cycle. Until then I am to continue with the fortification tea."

She came back to the table and looked at him expectantly. Kili didn't need to be told what she wanted of him, she was still expecting a story. "Well, there was this one time when Fili and I were just little. He was around sixteen and I was eleven. Fili was always setting up pranks on Ori and I, and I really wanted to get him back for once. So I headed out to this field where he and I would spend our time practicing our swordplay, I spent hours rigging up this system of ball triggers, hidden catapults and buckets of slop, camouflaging them around the field. Then I found a place to hide and waited for Fili to return from his studies with Balin and Thorin. He was always up for training after studying decorum, so I was certain that he would be by soon. He didn't show for hours. It felt like forever. When he finally did, he was dragging a wooden practice dummy behind him. I waited until he was right in the center of the field."

"I don't see how this is embarrassing for you Kili," Rylee said with her eyebrow quirked and a forkful of meat pointed at him.

"Wait for it. You really are not very patient are you Rylee?" Kili chuckled softly. She stuck her tongue out at him and then popped the meat into her mouth, chewing quietly waiting for him to go on. "So I was waiting for him to finally square off with his practice dummy so I could pull the trigger and finally he stepped into the center. I pulled the trigger. Nothing happened. Not a single thing."

"So what did you do?" Rylee asked as she swallowed her bite and chased a potato around her plate with her fork.

"I tried hitting the trigger again and again, but nothing. I grew so frustrated that I stood and kicked the trigger, but then Fili noticed that I was there and figured something was up. Fili moved towards me, stepping off of the center mark and onto a secondary trigger. I raced forward intending to push him back onto the target, but he tripped over a pile of logs hidden under some brush and instead I fell over him and into the center myself." Kili grinned at her, his cheeks flushing red as Rylee started to chuckle softly, "By then it was too late, the catapults launched and I was absolutely covered in buckets full of pig slop. I was supposed to take the pails up to the farmer's wife that day and instead I covered myself from head to toe in it. Oil, weeds, potato skins, carrot peels and ends, you name it, I was covered in it."

Rylee's sniggers turned into chuckles, "What happened next?"

"Thorin came out to see what the racket was all about and he saw me," Kili admitted, he could feel his ears burning in embarrassment, but he kept going because he loved hearing Rylee laugh. "He knew immediately that Fili had nothing to do with it, since Fili was with him all day. He and Fili tossed bucket after bucket of water at me to rinse the slop off. Then Thorin handed me a rake and told me to clean up every scrap and take it to the Farmer's wife, like I was supposed to. I started decorum classes with Fili the following day. I found out later that Fili knocked over my main trigger volley when he hauled the training dummy into the field."

"Ouch," Rylee winced while chuckling at him, "Not only did your prank fail but you had to start your studies early. I feel for you Kili, I really do. If it's any consolation, I had to start my studies at the age of eight."

"Eight?" Kili asked incredulous, "You were practically a toddler!"

"Aye, a really bratty toddler who would hide in the bushes to throw berries at the Valar and braid Mikhaul's mane and beard into the wandering vines so she couldn't leave me and put glass jars over top of the field mice in Yavanna's pastures to make them stay so I could tell them stories," Rylee grinned at him brightly. Kili realized at that moment that Rylee would have been the only child amongst adults. She would have been so lonely.

When she was done eating her second plate of food and he his third, they did the washing up together. The conversation turned serious as they discussed her health and what she could do to prepare for the hardships of the trail as well as other more personal topics, such as pregnancy, conception, and contraception, they talked about how many children they ultimately wanted and more.

"Kili?" Rylee whispered softly after she put away the last dish, she hung her cloth and turned to him. She looked up to find him watching her intently, his brow arched but he didn't say anything. "I – Um- Thank you."

"For what my love? It was only dinner," Kili asked as he took her hand and pulled her into his arms. He buried his nose into her hair and gently kissed her ear, cheek, and temple as he let his hands run over her back.

"I was worried when we first came here but this was the most fun I have ever had in a kitchen," Rylee said softly pulling back to look into his eyes. "You Kili, are the most wonderful Dwarf I have ever met. You make me feel welcome and helpful. You understand me and don't belittle me for my shortcomings."

"What shortcomings? You are perfect Rylee, you are perfect for me." Kili told her, pulling her against him for a ravenous kiss. He kept reminding himself that it was one more night and one more day and she would be his and the only thing that kept him from taking the kiss deeper was the opening of the front door as Elihara and Elorin returned home.

"Come on you two, it's your Last Night!" Elorin grinned at them from the doorway, "No more kissing until tomorrow!"


	25. Last Night

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, any of Tolkien's works or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either. I own only my OC's.**

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**BTW: The wedding is in Chapter 26!**

Chapter 25

Last Night

June 10 - 11

Rylee left Elorin and Elihara's to meet Galadriel in the Main Gardens. Kíli went into the opposite direction to the Winery where the men were gathering for their celebration. She walked swiftly not wanting to keep her friend waiting on her and as she approached the garden she heard a pair of familiar voices. Rylee blinked at the unlikely pair talking amicably. Thorin and Galadriel sat across from each other discussing Rylee's blood covered arrival in Rivendell.

"Elrond did tell me that she was wont to get covered in blood when she fought in the battles during the war, but I was never at the front and somehow she always seemed to arrive in the cover of darkness." Galadriel was telling him, a small smile graced her face and her eyes looked off into the distance as she remembered the long distant past. "It really should not be a surprise considering that she is the War Maiden of the Valar but in all my years of knowing her, I have never seen her get dirty. Only her maids saw her like that, Rohinna and the silent one, I never learned her name."

"Anirisae," Rylee offered as she approached, thinking of her other hand-maiden. Anirisae was not silent, she was merely shy, and the elleth had the most amazing singing voice. Rylee missed her greatly, she was quiet, sweet, and loyal to a fault, a soothing person to have around when the world was in the midst of chaos. "Her name was Anirisae. If you want to see a picture of me covered in something you should ask Ori to show you the drawing he did after the slough incident."

"Hmm, yes Ori would have some good drawings of Rylee on the trail," Thorin nodded with a grin, "Rylee looked like a Bog Monster that day," Thorin said with a small smile. He caught Rylee's eye silently asking if she was okay if he told the story, she grinned and nodded. "Apparently after some discussion between Rylee and Mikhaul, Mikhaul grew frustrated with Rylee's attitude and told her to lighten up, bucking and throwing her into a thick sludge-filled slough. When Rylee finally joined us for the remainder of the day she was covered head to toe in thick green and brown sludge."

Rylee was fascinated hearing Thorin's version of the tale, only interrupting every once in a while to let Galadriel know an important part of the conversation or to tell her what the sludge tasted like, and the fact that every time she hiccupped she had to taste it all over again. "She was wrapped up so tight that Fíli and Kíli had to cut the foliage off of her. I am certain that Mikhaul was trotting especially heavily that day. There was definitely a bounce in her step because the reeds, grasses, and ferns were bouncing all over the place. That poor frog on the lily pad was petrified until Kíli finally got it off of Rylee's head. What did you end up calling him Rylee?"

"Bob," Rylee said with a grin, "Yavanna told Ulmo that Bob found a mate at his new home by the creek.

"When did you see Ulmo," Thorin asked in surprise.

"The same day that Dendra got spooked, Fíli and Kíli nearly drowned, and I gave my token to Kíli." Rylee stated matter-of-factly, "Actually Ulmo also said that he remembered witnessing mine and Galadriel's first hunt together."

"Ulmo saw that?" Galadriel said in surprise. Then she started to laugh, "Oh! That was a great day!"

"It was interesting, that was for certain," Rylee said with a laugh. Then they both looked at Thorin who was watching them with an expression that could only be described as a cross between confusion and amusement.

"Do you want to tell him or shall I?" Galadriel asked Rylee with a bright smile. Thorin was taken aback, what was with this Elf? She was already beautiful and breathtaking, even for a stubborn old dwarf such as him.

"You go ahead, it was your mess," Rylee grinned back.

"This happened long ago in the First Age, just weeks after I first met Rylee in Doriath," Galadriel told Thorin as they sat in the garden in the setting sun, "She was due to go hunting after her dragon within a few days so we decided to make a day of it and go hunting. It was the first sunny day in what seemed like weeks of rain and poor weather, it was a spectacular morning, perfect for hunting. We snared a few wild turkeys and I shot a small stag by the time we decided that it was time to head back. Only Rylee noticed a large buck just off the main path and we decided to track it on foot."

"We left Mikhaul on the main path since she was needed by Eru," Rylee added quietly and she glanced at Galadriel and continued, "We decided to split up. I broke left, Galadriel went right and we stealthily stalked our buck. Not an easy task when the ground squelched with every step from the moisture. I was so close, I had a throwing knife out and was taking aim, when suddenly a loud shriek cut the air. The buck took off and I ran in the direction of the scream. I knew it was Galadriel, because I heard her scream like that once before, I swear my heart stopped the instant I heard it. It did not take me long to find her, or what I thought might be her, it sounded like her anyways."

"I had caught my foot on a small stump and took a stumble down a hill, I thought that I caught my footing but when I tried to stand the soft earth under my feet fell away. I was caught in a mud slide. I slid all the way to the bottom into this massive puddle," Galadriel told Thorin, who was looking at the Elf maid with an absolutely incredulous look on his face, completely uncertain whether to believe her. He looked at Rylee who just nodded and grinned.

"I got there just as she was coming up for air, hacking and spitting out mud. I could hear her trying to clean her tongue saying, 'Gross, oh gross, so disgusting.' And then, 'Note to self, mud tastes really bad.' She was covered, from head to toe with mud, no word of a lie," Rylee said with a small snort of mirth as she thought back to the day. "She was caked with it, it was so thick that it stuck to her and matted every strand of her hair. I really could not believe it was her. She sat there for a long moment looking either completely bewildered or stunned. Then she looked up at me and she had the most mischievous expression in her eyes."

"I did not," Galadriel cried out in protest. "I was trying not to freak out. There was no mischief, I swear!"

"You did so! At that moment I was certain you were either going to pull me in or fling mud at me," Rylee laughed at her friend. "Unless you have a valid reason for looking at me like that, I will continue to say it was complete mischief."

"I was remembering the day that Finrod and I trapped Angrod and Aegnor in a pig hollow," Galadriel told him trying not to laugh, then she really looked at Rylee's shocked face and laughed harder. "I do have to admit it was a temptation to drag you in with me, but the look of shock and horror on your face at seeing me in that puddle was too much. You looked so worried."

"I was worried! I thought for certain that you were going to have a fit!" Rylee said with her eyes wide and her expression mimicking shock. "Any other Elf Maid would have screamed bloody murder."

"Is this story going anywhere or are you just going to argue about it all evening?" Thorin asked in thinly veiled amusement. He had never seen an Elf act so candid before. In his opinion they were all so stuffy and cold.

"Oh Thorin, thanks for reminding us," Galadriel chuckled softly, "There I sat in the middle of this massive mud puddle completely covered from head to foot, mud in every crack and crevice. I mean that quite literally. My heart was racing in my chest as I got my bearings and caught my breath. I ordered Rylee to stay where she was, that there was no point in both of us getting stuck in the puddle and I tried to stand. The mud was so thick that I could not get up, though I tried so many times. It was like glue; gummy, pasty, and thick."

"She looked like bubbles in a thick tomato sauce Adad, it was the most hilarious thing I have ever seen and I was trying so hard not to laugh at her. She would be on her hands and knees and stretch her arse into the air then try to pull her arms out, only for the mud under her feet to give away and she would fall back in. She tried just squatting and standing from there and same results." Rylee told him with an amused grin on her face. "Again and again she tried to stand up only to be pulled back down. Finally after what, ten, or twelve times?"

"I counted, it was eleven," Galadriel smirked and shot a look at Thorin, who was trying not to laugh at the description he was being given of the stunning Elf Maid. "Eleven tries and I finally got back to my feet. I had to take a moment to catch my breath. It was so exhausting just to do that. When I finally moved to walk out, I couldn't budge. My boots were suctioned into the mud. I pulled so hard at one point that I fell back in and had to try to stand up again."

"Luckily Galadriel already learned a technique to getting to her feet and was able to get up after only one try. Once she was back on her feet, she tried walking again and still her boots were stuck. There was no moving them. She had to bend over and untie them and step out. Her stocking came off with her boot. You should have seen her face Adad when her barefoot hit the bottom of the puddle, it was somewhere between complete horror and absolute enthrallment. 'It's going between my toes,' she said." Rylee mimicked her friend and started laughing so hard that she had to grab a trellis to keep from falling over.

"Nice Rylee," Galadriel scoffed at her friend who was having a fit. Then she looked back at Thorin with a wry smile, "Your God-daughter is a brat."

"Oh this I already know," Thorin chuckled watching as Rylee tried to calm down. "Please do continue."

"Once my boot was off I stepped down and having never felt mud between my toes before, it was, well, interesting to say the least. I did the same to the other foot with the same result. I do have to say, it is that very first squish that really throws you. Such a strange sensation," Galadriel said with a small half frown as she remembered the way the mud squeezed between each toe. She mentally shook the thought away and went on with her tale. "There I was standing barefoot in a puddle in the middle of a forest. My boots stuck there, taunting me, and me knowing that I had no choice but to try to get them out or go back home with no boots."

"Getting those boots out of the mud was as much of a process as Galadriel trying to stand. She would get a grip on them and pull and they refused to budge. Then she would try from a different direction and still nothing. Finally she got the right angle on one boot and it came out with a loud 'pop'. It was so sudden that the boot flew to the edge of the puddle, barely missing me and Galadriel landed back on her arse in the puddle." Rylee said through short breaths. Thorin wasn't sure what was more amusing, the story itself or Rylee trying to tell it. "Oh Adad, I still don't know how it was possible but she was even more covered in mud than before. It must have been drying on her in layers because it was even heavier and thicker."

"I could tell that Rylee was ready to jump in after me to haul me out and I had to yell at her not to." Galadriel shook her head at Rylee. Even back then Rylee was caught between trying not to laugh, trying to be helpful, trying not to get dirty, and willing to just jump in and haul her out. "As much as I would have appreciated the help, there was no point in both of us becoming bogged down in the mud. I struggled back to my feet and moved around to find a good leverage point on the other boot, but it was even more stuck than the first."

"All the while, she was practically tiptoeing through the mud, muttering, 'Eee, Ooo, umm, I don't know if I like mud in my toes.' Then she would tug on the boot as hard as she could, only to have her grip slip and stumble back. Then she would try again, saying, 'I mean it is an interesting sensation to be sure, I just don't know if I like it.' Finally after what felt like an hour she got an angle on the boot and pulled it out." Rylee sniggered at Galadriel. They shared a laugh.

"This time, I held onto the boot. I sludged to the edge of the puddle and sat on the grass to catch my breath." Galadriel told him with a grin. "As soon as I was out Rylee started to laugh. Really loudly. I don't think Morgoth heard her but everyone else did."

"Then she nearly gave me a heart attack by asking if she could see my axe," Rylee said as she sobered up, she looked at Thorin with the most stunned expression, "I was certain that she was going to kill me for laughing at her, so I refused. Then she tells me, 'I just want to see my reflection!' I looked at her and said, 'Nope! Absolutely not!' I could not fathom why she could want to see herself like that, I mean, I could barely recognize her and I saw it happen! I turned my back and she grabbed the axe right out of my holster, stared at herself for all of five seconds and started to laugh!"

"Your face was the best Rylee." Galadriel laughed heartily, before continuing, "you should have seen her Thorin, her eyes were so wide I was certain that they would pop out of her head, her chin was dropped, her mouth was a little 'O' and she was so pale. I don't think she breathed for a full two minutes and when she did it was to laugh at me laughing at her."

"Do you remember Celeborn and Thingol's faces when we met them on the road?" Rylee asked with a small grin, "They were so worried and ready to tear the forest apart to find us, yet they had an arrow trained on Galadriel the moment they saw her. The only reason they didn't shoot was because I still looked like me. When they realized it was Galadriel they teased her nonstop all evening long. We had to take her through the back gate into the caverns of Menegroth so that she could get to the bath house without making such a huge mess on the floors."

Thorin shook his head at the pair, "If I didn't know Rylee as well as I do, I would say you two were pulling my leg. I cannot imagine a lady such as yourself covered in such filth."

"You're right Adad, it would be like seeing you covered in, well, anything," Rylee scoffed looking between Thorin and Galadriel. She smirked and looked up at her friend thinking, 'Oh the charmer, she actually won over Thorin.' If Rylee didn't know Galadriel as well as she did, she would never have believed it.

"But it has happened," Thorin grinned at Rylee and at Galadriel. Rylee's jaw dropped and Thorin chuckled at her surprise. "It isn't quite the tale you two just told me and I was lucky enough to not have to eat mud. Mine was a much sweeter surprise."

"Oh, well now you have to tell us Thorin," Galadriel chided him, "Come, you can tell us while we are on our way to the Winery."

"The Winery?" Rylee asked in confusion, she thought that they were going back to the House of Aulë for her Last Night celebration.

"Yes, we are in charge of bringing the wine," Galadriel told her. Rylee smiled in understanding. Thorin stepped in between the Elf and his God-daughter and took their arms in his own and together they started for the Winery where the rest of the Company was congregated. "Go ahead Thorin whenever you are ready."

"Well I was much younger, this was after Smaug took Erebor but before the battle of Azanulbizar. My family was living and working in Dunland at the time." Thorin started thinking back to his youth. It seemed like so long ago, when life was still full of possibilities and his family was still intact. "I was spending most of my days with my father and my grandfather, they were still intent on leading our people and doing them right so I was given duties and tasks in order to help assist them with running our portion of the village. They were long days filled with meetings, paperwork, site inspections, and training. Both Father and Grandfather were insistent that I be properly trained with every weapon, just in case we were to come under attack."

"So you were trained the same way that you trained me," Rylee said quietly, listening enraptured. Thorin rarely ever spoke of his past, much less his childhood.

"Aye, much the same," Thorin agreed taking in her attentive face. He smirked at her, "Mother started to complain to Father and Grandfather that they were taking up too much of my time. Frerin and Dís were practically climbing on top of me whenever I came in the door. It was so rare to see either of them. It was after one such day that I came home, the house smelled so good like gingersnap cookies, sweet rolls, and jelly cakes. I was starving and the first thing I did was head into the kitchen."

He looked up at Galadriel and saw that though she was watching their path, her attention was equally on him. He smiled politely and carried on, "I should have known something was up when I realized the kitchen door was closed. The kitchen door was always propped wide open. So when I opened it I should have realized that something was going on. As soon as I took two steps through the door I was hit with the first exploding sugar cake, then another, dozens of them rained down on me coating me with fine white powder and finally an entire vat of soft glaze was dumped over my head."

"I blinked in complete surprise, trying to see through the sticky mass that covered my face and found the grinning faces of my brother Frerin and my sister Dís," Thorin shared as Rylee snickered quietly. She was walking close beside him so he poked her in the ribs and she giggled and arched away from his tickling. Then he carried on with his story, "I thought they were done, so I turned around only to be hit by more sugar bombs, followed by cake icing and candy chips. I stood there completely covered in confectionary, looking back at the grinning faces of Dwalin, Balin, and my mother."

"Your mother was in on it?" Galadriel chuckled softly. She let Thorin lead them around a cobblestone corner towards a large winery at the end of the narrow street.

"My mother instigated it," Thorin growled lowly as he shook his head with a small smile. "She had Dwalin and Balin create the sugar bombs. My sister and brother rigged the vats of glaze and icing. My mother dumped the candy chips on my head for good measure. When my father and Grandfather came in moments later, they were almost as shocked as I was."

"At least yours tasted good!" Rylee scoffed poking him in the ribs, "I had to taste slough water, and poor Galadriel has had the ill luck of tasting worse than just mud. I really cannot imagine!"

"Would you like to know the worst part about the whole thing?" Thorin said with a wry grin.

"What?" Rylee and Galadriel spoke in unison.

"I had completely forgotten that it was my birthday." Thorin deadpanned.

Rylee's eyes went wide as she looked up at him in shock, "You forgot your own birthday? You mean that was a birthday prank?"

"It was and my mother finally got it across to my father that they were taking away too much of my time with all of my duties." They were headed into the entrance of the Winery and Thorin opened the door for them, allowing the pair of ladies to enter before him. He could hear the lads in the far room, already on their way to becoming tipsy, and from the sounds of it, they were having a belching contest. Thorin shook his head in embarrassment. What had he led these ladies into? He looked at Rylee and then at Galadriel and was stunned. If he wasn't already silent, he would have been speechless. They both wore grins from ear to ear.

"Is that what I think it is?" Galadriel asked.

Rylee chuckled softly, "I do believe so."

"Mahal, please help me," Thorin whispered from behind them. Neither the Elf nor the Dwarrowdam paid him any mind as they both stepped into the room where the dwarves were gathered. Thorin followed them in, his curiosity getting the best of him. The Company was gathered plus Elorin but minus Bilbo, who Thorin knew would join them when Gandalf, Elrond and his sons arrived later that evening. The Hobbit was still uncomfortable with some of the pranks and shenanigans that the Dwarves would get up to. Last night's antics were still bothering the mild little Halfling, even though Rylee was a great sport about the whole thing.

They entered the room just as Bofur let out a really loud and long belch to cheers from the others. Ori laughed and called out, "That was great Bofur, but it still didn't match mine at Bag End, much less Rylee's from our first night here. Nori, you're up."

Balin, Dwalin, Oin, Gloin and Dori were sitting at a table off in a far corner quietly talking about the mines in Ered Luin and were writing a missive to be sent back to the Dwarf settlement there. Thorin thought that it was odd timing for them to be doing paperwork and council errands, but then these were his hardest workers and they always put the welfare of their people first, even from hundreds of miles away. Though to celebrate Kíli's Last Night, they did each have a large cup of wine in hand as they went about their discussions.

"Do you think we can beat them?" Galadriel asked with a glint in her eyes. Thorin's eyes snapped back to the ladies beside him in complete shock.

"If there is anyone to beat it would be Ori, from what I gather," Rylee chuckled whispering quietly. "And if what they told me on my first night here is true, then yes we can definitely take them."

"You don't honestly plan to join the belching contest?" Thorin asked under his breath, drawing grins from both Galadriel and Rylee.

"Joining? No Adad," Rylee laughed.

"We intend to win Thorin." Galadriel smirked, shooting Rylee a grin.

The younger dwarves were all sitting in a circle, drinks in hand as they proceeded to have their belching contest. Nori was just finishing his turn, which fell a little flat compared to Bofur's and he of course protested and wanted to go again. They teased him and the turn went to Bombur. It was a resounding belch that easily outdid Nori and even put Bofur's to shame. "So far that's the best one, but it still doesn't top Rylee's."

"Perhaps you should show us how it's done then Ori," Kíli laughed as the scribe turned red with half embarrassment and half pride.

"Fine, I will," Ori puffed his chest and stood. He chugged his mug of strong Elven wine and let it settle for a moment before he released a long, rumbling, loud belch that filled the room. It easily outweighed Bofur's and even outdid Bombur's.

Dwalin turned to the group from his seat and raised his glass and drawled, "Well that's the winner then."

"That was nothing," Rylee piped up all of a sudden. All eyes turned to her and Galadriel, not one of the Dwarves had realized that the pair was even in the room with them and only then realized that Thorin was with them. There was some foot shuffling from every Dwarf in the room, which made Thorin want to laugh out loud. Every one of them was embarrassed to be caught having a belching contest in front of the beautiful Elf Maid. "I bet you that I can beat Ori's belch, without the assistance of wine and I bet that Galadriel can beat mine."

"Whatever lass," Nori scoffed and shook his head in disbelief. Several others chuckled at this and nudged each other. The table of elders looked over at them and laughed openly, shaking their heads. All of the Dwarves looked at Galadriel in shock since she was not arguing against Rylee and in fact seemed to be going along with the bet! Bofur and Bombur refused to meet Rylee's eyes and Bifur signed that they needed to talk. Rylee wondered what was up and nodded at him.

"You are not saying that Lady Galadriel was the friend who could beat you?" Gloin asked from the table in the corner. He blinked up at the lovely Elf-maid in complete surprise.

Rylee grinned widely and winked at him, "That is exactly what I am saying."

"What's your bet?" Ori said, his pride was on the chopping block and if he won he wanted to do it fair and square.

"If I lose, Galadriel has to drink two bottles of Fire Wine and I have to chug four bottles of Fire Wine before we leave here. If I win, you each have to chug one full bottle." Rylee said with absolute surety. Galadriel stood beside her, trying not to laugh, these poor dwarves were going to be drunk by the time they finished their bottles of Fire Wine.

"You're on!" Ori said with a huge grin, he was certain that he had this bet in the bag.

"Are you certain you don't want another go before we do?" Galadriel teased him softly.

Thorin shook his head in amusement as he watched Galadriel. Rylee definitely brought out an entirely different side to this she-elf. If he didn't know better he would think that Galadriel was the half dwarf-half elf and Elihara the full bred elf. Not that he would say anything, the last thing he wanted to do was insult either one of them.

Ori shook his head, for the first time on this journey he was feeling pretty great about himself, but that could have been the wine talking. Rylee took a breath, sucked a huge amount of air into her belly, held it there and let it loose. It was long, low, loud, and it reverberated through the room with its longevity. It put the one she did on the terrace to shame. Thirteen pairs of eyes stared at the petite Dwarrowdam, not one of them could believe that the pretty lass made such an uncouth burp.

"Well," Balin said looking up from his parchment, blinking in surprise, "bless my beard!"

"That settles it," Gloin said sitting back from the table. "We might as well put this away, these fool lads will have us knackered by the time we are done that bottle of wine.

"Oh Gloin, you don't have to drink the wine," Rylee said her eyes wide. She never intended for the older dwarves to be in on the bet, only the younger ones.

"Of course we do lass," Dwalin scoffed, shaking his head at her, "'Tis a matter of honor. Even if we didn't participate, we all scoffed at your bet. Now if your friend there doesn't fail you, we will be chewing on our own laughter."

"If you are certain," Rylee said her face straight, giving away nothing. She looked at Kíli who was still watching her with a stunned expression on his face. "Are you ready Galadriel?"

"Hmm," was all Galadriel said. Thorin looked up at her with complete shock as she did the same as Rylee did moments before, pulling air into her stomach, letting it settle for a long moment before releasing it. Louder than Rylee's, deeper, and so much longer, it was the strangest noise Thorin ever heard emerge from the mouth of an elf. He laughed. He could not help it, he just laughed.

The dwarves were stunned. Not one of them was sure whether to laugh, cry, cheer, or applaud the Elven Lass. They looked from the ladies standing before them, to their king standing just behind them laughing with true mirth, and then at each other. Dwalin was the first to speak, "Well, I will be a forges hammer!"

"How do we know you didn't hedge the bet and let her win?" Nori said and stood with an outraged quirk to his brow.

Fíli pulled him back to his seat and said with a wicked grin, "I have heard Dain belch and his are the biggest I have heard, only these two 'ladies' have topped him. Besides Rylee didn't give her tell."

"Right, my tell," Rylee rolled her eyes, she glared at Thorin, "Now everyone knows my 'tell', except for me! For your information Nori, I have tried to beat Galadriel, it is impossible."

"Where is that Fire Wine Rylee?" Thorin asked as he came down from his mirth. "I would like to toast you and Lady Galadriel with my bottle before you head off to your celebration."

Rylee moved to the back of the cellar to search for her wine and within seconds she was cornered. She reached up for a crate of Fire Wine Bottles and Kíli's arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her against him. Rylee gasped in surprise and arched into him as he pulled her tight, nuzzling against the sensitive spot behind her ear. "Always so full of surprises. That was the strangest thing I have ever seen you do Rylee and yet it was glorious. You know they are all going to try to prank you now right? Twice in a row with the Fire Wine."

"This was a bet, they cannot get me back for that," Rylee chuckled turning in his arms. She reached up to pull on his courting braid. "Even though the Fire Wine at dinner was not a prank, I do understand that they want to get me back. I am fine with that. Do you want revenge as well Kíli?"

"Nay Rylee," Kíli chuckled softly. He reached for her braid and curled it around his finger. He could not wait until that Valar braid was unraveled so he could run his fingers through her hair again. He pulled her in for a long slow kiss, letting her taste the flavor of her favorite wine on his lips and tongue before he pulled away. "I happen to like your Fire Wine. The other stuff doesn't taste as good as it used to."

"Hmm, you taste really good." Rylee whispered back, denying her desire to kiss him again. "Will you help me get these bottles down? I need fourteen for you and a crate for me."

"What are you two doing back there?" Fíli asked, peeking his head around the corner. A smirk played around his mouth as he watched them.

Kíli released her, let go of her braid, and reached above Rylee's head to pull down a crate of fire wine. "Here is yours My Lady, I will bring out the rest."

"Thank you my love." Rylee smiled up at him. Fíli groaned and muttered something about rotting his teeth making Rylee chuckle softly. She carried the crate past Kíli and nudged Fíli on her way, "Come on big brother, you can't be a sour puss all the time."

"As long as you keep feeding us that burning wine, I will be as sour as I like," Fíli teased her.

"Even if I promise to make you really nice weapons to make up for it?" Rylee asked him tauntingly.

Fíli pulled her to a stop. "Would you really Rylee? Make me more knives?"

"Knives, swords, axes, whatever you like I will make it for you," Rylee smiled up at him, taking in his excitement. "Once I have a forge I will make you all sorts of weapons. I thought you knew that already."

"I will hold you to that little sister." Fíli said, he reached up and pulled gently on her courting braid. He was fully aware of how hair touching caused her pain. All he wanted to do was give her his blessing and show her his affection, so his touch was light. "As long as you make me weapons, I will drink your damn wine."

"Before long, you will love that wine." Rylee chuckled softly as Kíli carried out two more flats of bottles. She helped him hand them out, "Bottoms up boys."

Thorin and Kíli were the first to tilt their bottles. Kíli made it all the way to the bottom in one shot, while Thorin had to take a break half way, tears coming to his eyes. He lifted the second half in a toast, "To Rylee, she has corrupted even the most pure of hearts. Never underestimate the Dwarvish behavior of Rylee and her closest friends. Lady Galadriel, you have won the hearts of the Company."

Once the bottles were emptied, Rylee handed her flat of Fire Wine to Galadriel and hoisted a small cask of Sweet Elven wine onto her own shoulders. "Shall we, Galadriel? We have a party of our own to get to."

She was stopped at the door by Bofur, Bifur, and Bombur and Rylee remembered her promise to talk to them. She motioned for them to join her at the entrance, "What? What's wrong, you look like I ate your favorite treat?"

"We heard you did not like the Dwarves of Nogrod," Bofur stated almost grumpily.

Rylee frowned and shook her head, "Well there was an envoy of Dwarves from Nogrod that I did not care for and their King was an arse, but that is beside the point. Why are you saying this, what did you hear?"

"You have been quoted as saying that the Dwarves of Nogrod were stone, within and without," Thorin said, joining them. "They overheard me speaking with Balin and got upset. Apparently their family line traces back to the Dwarves of Nogrod."

"Oh! That was taken out of context! I did in fact say that to Celeborn," Rylee told them, Bifur started to grumble, and Rylee shifted her weight under the cask and hurried to finish her thought, "I said, and I repeat verbatim, 'If all Nogrod Dwarves were like the Envoy and their King, I would say they were stone, within and without, and wash my hands of the lot, but I have met many kind folk from Nogrod which is why I put up with this lot.' It was never intended as a slight against all Nogrod Folk and I am one hundred percent certain that Celeborn never intended it to be either. It was a quote that has likely been said a thousand times and has lost its way. It has been six thousand years after all."

"I recall that conversation," Galadriel added looking at the Dwarves standing before them, her face was one of earnest honesty, "Celeborn asked why you didn't just tell the greedy buggers to shove off, and you said you could not condone disowning an entire mountain of people for the sake of a few corrupt leaders. You had every reason to despise those emissaries."

Rylee looked at each of her friends, all three looked at her searching her face for a lie, while she tried to see if there was a resemblance to someone she knew from the First Age. Finally she put her finger on it, "Are you descended from Telchar or Gamil Zirak by any chance?"

"We are descended from Telchar," Bofur nodded still looking at her with uncertainty.

"There you have it. Telchar was a well-respected Dwarf from Nogrod who was noble in nature if not by birth. He was warm hearted, brave, well-loved, and one of the greatest Smiths of his time," Rylee said softly, once again adjusting the cask on her shoulders, as she tried to set the story straight. "I swear to you, I would never lump a group of people together on the impressions or acts of a minor few. If I did that I would have very few friends."

"What do you mean lass?" Bombur asked, his round face was almost sad as he looked at her.

"Well, if I was to take my impression of elves based solely on Oropher and Thranduil, then I would think that all elves were arrogant, imperial, and cold. I would call them all prancing, pretentious pricks." Rylee said with an eye roll. Galadriel scoffed beside her and whispered, 'there's the honest truth.' Rylee chuckled. Neither of them liked that family very much. "They were absolutely foolish with little patience, and no sense of military strategy. Not that they weren't skilled warriors, just not great at planning a battle."

"That was my impression of them," Thorin scoffed shaking his head.

Rylee nodded, she had figured that out, which was one of the reasons that she used them as an example, "Luckily, Elves in general are more like Gil-galad, Elrond, Celeborn, and Galadriel. Sadly, you must take the bad along with the good or suffer not knowing greatness."

"I knew you'd never say all Nogrod Dwarves were made of stone." Bombur said as Bofur took the cask off her shoulders, allowing his brother to haul her into a tight hug. Rylee laughed and hugged him back.

Bifur looked at her and grunted in Khuzdul, "They would have glared at you all night, if not for me."

"Well I thank Mahal for you Bifur," Rylee grinned hauling him into a group hug. Bofur joined in and squeezed her tight.

"Alright you three let her go," Thorin ordered them from Galadriel's side. "Rylee has her own Last Night to attend."

"Oh, right, sorry lass," Bofur released her, his face spread into his usual cheeky grin. He lifted the cask and handed it back to Rylee so she could prop it up onto her shoulders. She turned to the doors and was about to head out when she heard Bofur ask Galadriel quietly, "What did you mean she had every reason to despise the emissaries. What did they do?"

"After two unsuccessful attempts to steal her mithril weapons, they tried to kidnap her," Galadriel responded just as quietly, "She beat them to within an inch of their lives and let them off with a warning that if they ever came near her or one of her friends again, she would send them back to their King with their special parts missing, only to have their King try to force her into marriage."

"Mahal, no wonder our forefathers left for Belegost and Khazad-Dum," Bombur said in a low whisper, "Makes me double glad for a king like Thorin. She should have taken their beards."

"I did!" Rylee called back as she looked at the doors and was about to prop the barrel of wine against the door-jam so she could open it when the portal swung wide and she came face to face with Daeron. He looked at Rylee, then over at Galadriel and smiled, "My Ladies! It seems I was just in time!"

He held the door for them as they left the building, thanking him as they went. Glorfindel was just on the other side when they emerged. Rylee and Galadriel both just smiled and nodded at him and without another word they slipped out of the Winery to leave the dwarves to their party. With the fire wine in their systems, the dwarves were going to be hit hard with the effects and neither Rylee nor Galadriel wanted to be in the vicinity when it did.

"I cannot believe we told Thorin about the mud puddle," Rylee laughed softly. "But I am even more surprised that he shared about his birthday."

"A small sacrifice paid to lift the darkness that lives within him," Galadriel said softly into the night air. Thorin Oakenshield was a Dwarf at war with himself. If Jovina Malagnûna was correct, Rylee had her work cut out for her, she would need all the help she could get. They passed Elorin, Gandalf, Bilbo, Elrond and his sons as they entered the Winery. Both Elladan and Elrohir stopped to offer their help carrying their heavy loads. Bilbo and Elorin went along inside as Gandalf and Elrond watched in amusement as the twins insisted on taking the crate from Galadriel and the small cask from Rylee, despite their protests.

"Fine, you go ahead and don't wait for us," Rylee chided them both shaking her head, "And get back to the Winery quickly before those Dwarves finish all of the wine."

"You don't really think they will do you?" Elladan asked in shock.

Rylee laughed and Galadriel answered, "Do you recall what I once told you about Durin's Folk?"

"That they can drink till they collapse and when they rise they will drink some more?" Elrohir quipped in response.

"There are ten Durin's in that Winery right now, and three descendants of Telchar, who could easily drink as much as Durin," Rylee informed them softly. "I suggest you move quickly if you want your share. Oh and avoid the drinking games, Elves or not, Dwarves play dirty."

"Duly noted my lady," Elladan said and took off in a lope, trying to keep from stirring up the wine as he rushed forward. Elrohir merely bowed his head and took off for his brother.

"Your grandson's are quite amusing." Rylee said as she watched them go.

"They take after their mother, Celebrian was full of fun as well once," Galadriel smiled softly, but her eyes were sad. "That was before the Orcs kidnapped her and before she left for Aman. I take it Elrond told you?"

"Aye, the scourge of darkness marred yet again the beauty of Ilúvatar," Rylee said with a hard scowl. "One day Galadriel, we will find peace again in this world."

"With you as Rúnyatári I am certain that we will," Galadriel told her softly. Rylee sighed in thinly veiled frustration and uncertainty. "I know you doubt yourself, you fear the darkness that stains you, but you are so much stronger than you give yourself credit for."

"I read the scrolls yesterday," Rylee said softly, thinking about the day before. "I think that I purposely forgot what my role was, what this crown meant, and the weight of it all. Hoping that my memories were wrong, maybe it was just wishful thinking that with my death in that Age the pact would be complete. Morgoth was banished to the Timeless Void. Sauron was to be tried in the eyes of the Valar. It should have been over."

They fell into silence for several minutes as they walked peacefully side by side. Both lost deep within their own thoughts as they slowly made their way through the quiet streets of Rivendell at night. The soft strains of a harp played several streets over the sweet music lingered in the sweet evening air, soon a flute joined in with the same tune, then the pipes of pan and a lute. All of the instruments filled the streets with the soft sweet tune. Rylee felt like she was being serenaded by the elves in their homes as she walked along the peaceful streets.

They were just passing the armory when Saruman waved them down, "Rylee Emitheral, I was looking for you."

"You are leaving." Rylee stated as she looked up at him with a wan smile. Even though his clothes remained the same, and there was no pack, bedroll, or any other implement that spoke of travel, Rylee knew. It was hidden there in his voice.

"I have some errands to take care of before our meeting with Thorin and the White Council," Saruman said lowly, he was not quite meeting her eyes and Rylee chuckled.

"I understand Curumo," Rylee said with a small smile, "You have never been one to attend weddings."

"I suppose I have not," He looked at her with the slightest lift to his lips, "I did remember to make a gift, for you and your beloved. They are not much but they symbolize what I see when you are together."

He handed her a closed box, wrapped in white lace and tied with a deep blue ribbon. It was long and narrow, covering both of her palms, and Rylee wondered what it could possibly be. "Thank you Curumo, I will let Kíli know you send your best."

"It pains me to admit this Rylee but from what I have seen, he is good for you," Saruman said sagely looking down at her. "He brings your fire to life. You were so sad and tired when I saw you with Fram and that Fleet Took. It brings me peace to see that you have found happiness."

"Kíli is everything to me," Rylee smiled up at him, taking the box into one hand and placing the other on his arm, "Take care on your travels Curumo, the darkness is rising."

"I will see you again soon Rylee Emitheral," Saruman said before turning to the stables.

She stood silently with Galadriel as they watched him walk away, then they turned to the path through the woods towards the House of Aulë. Elladan and Elrohir jogged past them calling out greetings and farewells as they went, as they finally reached the paved street they broke into a run, racing each other back to the Winery.

"Saruman is different when he is around you," Galadriel said suddenly breaking the silence.

"What do you mean?" Rylee asked curiously.

"He seems younger, more open, lighter even," Galadriel said looking at Rylee with a small confused frown, like she was trying to give life to her thoughts. "There is something about you that brings out the best in people."

"That is Nienna's Grace, Varda's light and Yavanna's love of all that lives," Rylee smiled at her friend. "I was created to be a creature of light, not this mutilated shadow of darkness that stands before you now."

"You are still a creature of light." Galadriel smiled at her, "In fact it grows brighter every day."

The path opened up into the wild garden of the House of Aulë, lit brightly from within, feminine laughter spilled out the windows and mingled with the tinkling torrents of the waterfall as it fell into the large pond. Stepping through the door, Rylee was swept into the arms of Elihara and pulled into the living area of the main house. Elihara, Rohinna, and a black haired girl Rylee never met before were within. Rylee wondered for a moment where Lerain was but dismissed the thought, perhaps the elleth was busy.

"Emitheral! You must meet my daughter Kalyna," Elihara called as she hauled Rylee forward. Before her stood a maid, taller than Rylee by nearly three inches, sturdily built like a dwarf woman with wide shoulders and hips, her figure a stunning hour glass. She was well muscled, made obvious by the fine definition in her exposed forearms and her angular face. Her face was more Elf than Dwarf, like Kíli described, she was all high cheek bones and creamy skin, only the brushing of fine black silk in front of her ears and along her jaw bone gave hint to her Dwarf ancestry. Her ears we similar to Bilbo's, slightly rounded like a Dwarf, but jutting out to a slight point. The girl was a stunning beauty, regardless of which race she hailed from.

"Shamukh, ra galikh ai-mâ Kalyna," Rylee said with a slight bow. The words meant Hail and well met. It was a formal greeting meant for those of honor. From what Rylee understood the Dunedain were great warriors and keepers of peace within Middle-Earth, it was indeed a great honor to be in the presence of such a warrior.

"It is purely my honor Rúnyatári," Kalyna said as she bowed lower than Rylee. "I have always dreamed of the day I would finally meet you and now that it is here, I can only say that you are even more than I ever imagined."

"Her father brags about you all the time," Elihara said as Kalyna rose back up to her full height.

The Dunedain warrior was practically vibrating with excitement as she spoke to her. Kalyna scoffed, "As does my mother and Elrond, even Norwend Took was under your thrall. I completely understand why. Is it true that every black braid means a dragon? And that the side braids mean a quest? Wait you are missing a braid, you are missing the braids for Scatha."

"I will braid those ones in tomorrow before my wedding," Rylee said softly with amusement. "Please just call me either Rylee or Emitheral or Rylee Emitheral. No titles, no formalities. You are the daughter of a dear friend and I want no hero worship tonight of all nights. Can someone pass me a bottle of Fire Wine?"

"You brought eight bottles Rylee. What in the world are you going to do with eight bottles of Fire Wine?" Rohinna said handing her an opened bottle. The others, she set into a large bin of ice, she prepped the cask and started pouring out glass after glass of sweet Elven wine for everyone else.

"I plan on drinking them," Rylee said with a cheerful laugh, "Tonight I plan to test my limits and beat my personal best."

"What's your personal best?" Kalyna asked with a stunned expression. No one, not even Elves, could drink more than four bottles of that wine without passing out.

"Six!" Rylee said before she chugged half of her bottle.

"And a half," Galadriel corrected her, "Jovina, you recall that don't you?"

Jovina came from one of the rooms near the back of the house and joined them. "The only reason it was not more, was because that Bloody Durin had her drinking Ale for half the night beforehand."

Rylee grinned and hauled Jovina into a tight hug. "I am sorry for my cold reaction earlier Jovina Malagnûna. Please forgive me?"

"There is nothing to forgive, child. You looked like you saw a ghost," Jovina told her hugging her back just as tight. "You are too skinny, you have grown an inch and you still sport not a hair on your chin. You have gone and killed at least thirty vile beasts since I saw you last and you have lost your Star."

"I am guilty of all of it, yet the only regret is losing the Star," Rylee said as tears welled in her eyes.

Jovina pulled away and put her hands on either side of Rylee's face, she pulled her in and kissed her nose making Rylee laugh. "Of all the darkness I have seen within you, it is the fear that bothers me the most. Do not let it consume you. My dear child, I swear to you, I will help you succeed."

Rylee smiled and looked at Jovina with her fathomless eyes, her powers shuttered away, and a steel look upon her face. "You have never broken your word before Jovina, I know you will do what you say. I just hope that when the time comes, we are both ready."

"We will be, now this is supposed to be a party," Jovina said pushing away from Rylee and calling out to the others, "Where are Rylee's Masque Cards? I want to play a game!"

"Oh, I know just where those are!" Rohinna jumped up and ran from the room, she was back a few minutes later with a wooden box and a large box of gaming chips. On the back of each card was a picture of a Maiden or a Lord in a Masquerade Costume, depicting the Valar, the constellations, there were even costumed versions of places within the deck, some were even depictions of events in the History of the World. Every card was different. The game was simple, the player picked a card, placed the card on their forehead with the picture facing the room. The others would silently act out what was on the card and for every wrong answer the player had to take a drink.

Rylee was the first to go since it was her night. Immediately Rohinna started spinning in circles while blowing raspberries. "Ulmo!" Rylee called, but she continued to spin and blow raspberries. Rylee took a drink from her bottle and Elihara joined Rohinna making the wind blow and clapping her hands like thunder. Jovina giggled at the pair of them then joined in floating in between trying to hold back the other two, while Galadriel knelt before them. Kalyna made her face look angry and tried pulling the tempest towards them. Rylee was stunned for a long moment, "Ossë, tempted by darkness and being brought back to the light by his love of Uinen at the behest of Aulë."

Rylee was going to see Yavanna later that night, she wondered if she would have time to see Ossë. He was one of the few Maia who knew what it was like to be tempted by Morgoth, if anyone could help her through this, it would be he. If the others realized how prophetic that card was, not one of them said a word. Galadriel pulled a card and the game went on. Every card after the first was light hearted and the ladies started teasing each other that they were losing on purpose just so they could get drunk. They were all quite tipsy by the time they ran out of cards and they changed games.

Rylee propped a series of bowls on one end of the room. The largest bowl was closest to them, and the smallest was the farthest away and the hardest to see. They used the chips and tossed them at the bowls. The main target was the smallest bowl, if the player successfully landed their chip in the target they did not have to drink. The second bowl indicated a small sip the third bowl a swig, the fourth and largest was a large gulp and a miss meant chugging the glass. For Rylee the game was different, since she was a marksman, hitting anything other than the smallest target meant she had to take a gulp. Even after her fourth bottle of Fire Wine she was still hitting the target more often than she was missing. It wasn't until after her sixth that her aim became shakier and she started to miss.

"I still cannot believe it," Kalyna whispered to her mother, "Six bottles and she still hits the target!'

"I wonder if she is any good at Rocks?" Elihara giggled. Rylee spun towards them with the happiest, most excited, and drunk face they had ever seen on her.

"You play rocks?" Rylee gasped her eyes went wide with enthusiasm. "I love rocks! Norwend taught it to me! Can we play? Pretty, pretty please?"

"Whoa, someone is a little drunk," Elihara giggled again and turned to Galadriel. "Have you ever seen her this far gone?"

"I cannot say I have, she is wildly amusing though," Galadriel laughed watching her friend run around the room gathering things they could use for targets and rocks.

Kalyna ran forward and stopped Rylee in her tracks, "Stop Rylee! I have a target set at home that Norwend made for me, I will go get it and we can play outside."

"Yes! We can play in the moonlight!" Rylee giggled and started putting away all of the items she had just gathered. She took another swig out of her bottle, it was her seventh and pouted when only a drop came out, "Someone drank my wine! Who drank my wine? Was it you Elihara?"

Rylee was teasing, there was a mischievous glint in her eyes as she chased Elihara around the room trying to catch her to tickle out a confession. When Elihara surrendered in a fit of giggles and no more wine was found, Rylee turned to Rohinna and the chase began anew. Meanwhile Galadriel went to the icebox and pulled out the last bottle of Fire Wine. Hiding it behind her back under her long gold and silver hair, then she snuck over to the far side of the room and sat on one of the heavy chairs that was placed before the windows. Jovina was on the floor with Rylee pinning her, telling her that she should give up the wine or face getting a pair of 'Wet Willies' to both ears. To make her point Rylee stuck both of her pointer fingers in her mouth to wet them, and Jovina shrieked, trying to escape.

Rylee was about to follow through when Kalyna came through the door with a satchel of rocks, looked at the scene before her and deadpanned, "I thought we were playing Rocks, not "Wet Willies."

"Rocks!" Rylee jumped off of Jovina and ran for the door and Kalyna. She grabbed the taller girl around the waist and spun her around once before hauling her back out the door.

"Rylee, you forgot something!" Galadriel teased, holding up the eighth and last bottle of Fire Wine.

"Why you little-!" Rylee hollered chasing down the bottle of Fire Wine, which Galadriel held high above her head. Rylee just laughed and poked Galadriel in the belly, "You know I am too drunk to care, if I have to climb up you to get that wine, I will do it!"

"For some reason I believe you," Galadriel laughed, but still she held it high out of Rylee's reach. Moments later Rylee was climbing up her back reaching for the wine, the others were laughing hard at their antics.

"I swear Galadriel, you are as tall as a tree," Rylee said from her perch on Galadriel's shoulders, having finally retrieved her wine. "I am actually a little terrified to climb back down."

"I cannot believe I am giving you a piggy back, like a child." Galadriel snorted carrying Rylee over to where Kalyna set up the targets for Rocks. She set Rylee down with as much dignity and grace as she could muster while Rylee shrieked at the movement. The others could only laugh at Rylee as she stumbled forward, bowling into Elihara and Jovina as she went.

Rylee went to take a swig of her wine when she realized that it was still corked. She whimpered at the sight of the cork and then slowly tried to work it out of the bottle. "I swear they make these things drunk proof on purpose. How in the world am I to break my record if I can't even open the bottle?"

"Rylee," Jovina chided her with a snort of laughter, "You broke your record with the last bottle. You are making a new record now."

"Give it here, before you split the cork," Rohinna demanded swiping the bottle from Rylee's hands. Within seconds she had the cork out, the bottle opened and back into Rylee's waiting hands.

"How the hell is it that you are not drunk yet?" Rylee inquired in frustration. "This must be fixed, get the elleth more wine, I am not to be the only drunk at my Last Night."

"I am on it!" Kalyna said with a huge grin, she ran back into the house and brought out more glasses of wine, handing them out to the others. "Now can we play a game of Rocks?"

With Rylee as drunk as she was, she was allowed to throw properly, still she beat the others easily and by the time the game was over the others were nearly as drunk as her. Every one of them was stumbling into the walls as they went back into the house, where they piled onto the overlarge furniture in the living area and they sat chatting and giggling.

Rohinna suddenly let out a large burp. She sat up straight with her eyes wide in shock as a deep red flush filled her cheeks. She looked completely mortified as she looked from Rylee to Galadriel, "Oh my! Excuse me! I have no idea where that came from!"

"Relax Rohinna, you are among friends and I have been known to let out a large burp upon occasion," Galadriel said soothingly to the dark haired elf maiden.

"You mean it's true, those stories that Fleet Took would tell?" Rohinna asked her eyes still wide as she eyed the Lady of Lothlórien.

"Of course! That and others," Galadriel chuckled unabashedly, "I find it rather amusing how few people want to believe it, even after all of these years."

"You mean the stories of mud puddles and pranks with chicken feathers, those are true too?" Rohinna giggled as she recalled all of the stories that Fleet would tell her.

"Oh those were bright days in a time of darkness," Galadriel grinned, then laughed outright as Kalyna let out a burp of her own after downing the rest of her wine. Elihara burst out laughing only to follow seconds later with a resounding belch that put her daughter's to shame.

"So what, is this another contest?" Rylee asked from where she was curled up beside Jovina, with her head resting on the other woman's shoulder, "Your turn, Jovina."

"Must I?" Jovina chuckled quietly, she was quite tired, she was finally coming down from being drunk, but she didn't want to disappoint Rylee. She let out a large belch that went from a tenor to a baritone to a deep bass, making Rylee giggle softly.

"Beautiful Jovina," Rylee said softly, "I forgot how you could change the tones like that."

"Yea well if I do recall, it is your turn now," Jovina nudged Rylee in the ribs forcing a rumbling, rolling burp from the young lass's belly, it was followed in quick succession with two more slightly shorter and louder burps.

"'Scuse me," Rylee giggled and the others joined her. "I wasn't expecting those little ones, they just kind of showed up on their own. Your turn Galadriel, show me what you can do after several glasses of wine."

"Only for you, dear Rylee," Galadriel faked a sigh of contention and pulled some air into her belly and let out her largest burp ever. It did like Jovina's and changed pitch, it even paused for a moment as it moved from a low bass to a tenor before dropping to a baritone, rolling and thundering around the room.

"That was very manly of you Nerwen," Rylee giggled, Galadriel looked at Rylee's face in surprise. She sounded very girly all of a sudden with that high pitched tinkling laugh. It was not a laugh that went with Rylee.

"Well I am done," Rohinna sighed softly, "I have to see my bed before the room starts to spin out of control."

She stood and said good night to Rylee who just grinned up at her friend and thanked her for joining in the fun. Elihara and Kalyna left as well, both of them using the other as support as they made their way outside. As soon as the door closed Rylee held up her empty bottle of wine, "That reminds me, I broke my record! Eight bottles of Fire Wine!"

"Yes that is great Rylee but can you still get up to your bed?" Galadriel said with a laugh as Rylee frowned.

"Good question, Lemme see," Rylee stood abruptly, the blood rushing to her head and the last bottle of wine hit her full force. She sank back down slowly holding her face between her hands, "My facccee feelssss funnnny an'the roooom twooorls."

"Completely wasted," Jovina shook her head, "We should help her to bed or she will never be up in time for her wedding."

"Naaah! Iii'mmm gooood!" Rylee protested rising again to her feet and stumbling towards the stairs. "I Shwear, I gots thisss!"

Galadriel looked at Rylee and then back at Jovina. She whispered softly, "She is going to be so hung-over in the morning."

Rylee crawled up the stairs hand over hand, until she reached the top, then she pitched herself forward and stumbled into her room and dropped like a sack of potatoes on the bed. The last thing she remembered before closing her eyes and imagining the portal to the Path of Dreams was Galadriel and Jovina as they tucked her into bed. "G'night purty ladies."

"Good night Rylee," Galadriel whispered pulling the blankets up around Rylee.

Rylee walked along the silver gilded Path of Dreams into Lórien, Irmo greeted her, smiled and teased, "Liquid courage doesn't work while you are dreaming Rylee, your mind will stay clear while you are here, and you will remember everything when you wake."

"That's good," Rylee quipped smartly, "I never planned to get quite this drunk. I'm lucky I remembered to envision the portal."

"So why did you drink so much?" Irmo teased her, "You are not getting cold feet are you?"

"What? Me? No, never!" Rylee said, her eyes going wide. Then she whispered, "I am terrified that he won't be there, that Kíli will change his mind. I am a complicated person, how can he love someone like me?"

"How could he not? He was made for you, as you were made for him." Irmo told her, reminding her of the way Mahal created all of his dwarves. "Go now, Yavanna waits for you in the Halls of Mandos. She awaits you there with Vairë."

She gave him a quick hug, thanking him and turned in the direction of the Halls. Like Irmo promised last time, it took merely a thought to take her from the Gardens of Lórien to the Halls of Mandos. Within moments she stood in the Halls of the Dead looking at the great tapestries of Vairë. The history of Arda was written there for all to see. The good, the bad, and everything in between, even that which was changed by her actions, like small notations in the book of time. The tapestries were beautiful, even in times that were considered dark there were places of light, where love and merriment was found, and where innocent souls found happiness within each other.

Rylee walked through the halls seeing the stories as they played out until she found the Hall where Vairë, Námo, and Yavanna were gathered. They stood before a tapestry that was not attached to any other, but they all stood facing her. Rylee's heart stopped, she knew that tapestry, she knew this place, and she knew fear. Námo beckoned her forward and she joined them. The tapestry hung there, teasing her, taunting her. She wondered if it was still tattered at the edges, frayed still because of what she did, but she was afraid to look, to see if Vairë had ever been able to mend the damage she had done.

She could not bring her eyes to the silk hanging from its place of honor on the great walls but she could look up at the weaver of the tapestries of life. Vairë was the smallest in height among all of the Valar, only a few inches taller than Rylee, her blonde hair was a deep rich gold that hung in thick curls past her hips. Her irises were the darkest violet in almond shaped eyes, framed with thick gold lashes and thin straight brows. Her cheekbones were high and her face was quite angular. Her odd features combined to create an interesting and exotic visage, Vairë was stunningly gorgeous. She wore a dress with a scooped collar and an empire waist, made of rich silk in violet and lilac hues which only accentuated the gold of her hair and brought attention to her eyes. Eyes that were now guarded as they beheld Rylee and pain speared through Rylee's heart, knowing that she was the cause.

"You cannot go forward without facing the past Rylee," Námo said softly, his voice was gentle, and he caught her chin in his long fingers. He made her meet his eyes, and Rylee blinked back the tears as she felt her throat tighten and her stomach clench. Námo was tall, but not as tall as Mahal, she still had to tilt her head back to look up at him. His black hair flowed into his black robes, making them seem like one and the same. His eyes were black as pitch framed with thick black slanted brows, his eyelashes were impossibly long. Rylee knew of many Elf maids who would love his eyelashes. His mouth was set in an ever grim line in his always stony and stoic face. He was not one to feel pity or deep compassion like his sister and only one soul was ever known to move him emotionally. That one person was Lúthien. Rylee didn't want his pity, she just wanted things to be less cold. She wanted her family back. "Look at it Rylee, look at your tapestry."

She sighed and turned but she kept her eyes low, not ready to look up. The last time she saw her tapestry it was torn in several places, she nearly removed herself out of her own timeline. Finally she took a deep breath and looked up. The edges were knotted with finely spun mithril string, stronger and tighter than the gold that used to edge the massive piece before her. Her personal emblem bordered the sides, with many shades of red and blue, the start of Kíli's emblem was woven and interweaved with her own, into the top border indicating the courting braid she wore in her hair. Along the edges from the top down was her story, from the time she was first created to the day she ran away, the events of what occurred when she was in Middle-Earth for those few weeks. Her return, recovery, and the training that followed, everything was there.

It was odd, in a way, to see her entire life written like a picture story within the borders of the fine silk. The intermingling images of the dragons she killed beside the friends she made on the way, it was surreal to her. Every battle she ever fought was there in living color, the images moving before her eyes. In the very center the silk was a clear pale blue, smooth as a sheet of glass, bright, reflective, the image beyond was of a young Dwarrowdam sleeping, still as a stone, tucked into her bed in Rivendell. Rylee knew that if she even touched the tapestry she would be pulled into it, only this time her soul would be permanently separated from her body, since she was only here in spirit and not in true form.

At one time she would have been tempted to reach out towards it, not this time. This time it took everything within her to stand before her personal tapestry and look for the damage that was once done. She could still see the tears, three long carefully mended lines that connected the Dragon Gostir to Ancalagon the Black, though Vairë had done a wonderful job at mending them and pulling the fabric of time back together. What was created out of it was an image of complicated beauty that spoke of fragility, vulnerability, and renewed strength. Vairë met her eyes and smiled softly, "It could not have been done without you Rylee. The decisions you made, the battles you fought, each one of them helped place a stitch that helped to mend the damage. It will never be as perfect as it once was, but it will be that much more beautiful due to the imperfections."

Námo stood behind her running his fingers over the three lines that cut across the fine silk, and Rylee shivered. "These three tears were once weak, pulling on a single thread would make the whole thing unravel. They nearly did several times as you watched us bicker and fight over your welfare, the day that Ilúvatar told us to back off, when you fought with Thorin and he told you to stop calling him Adad, and when you pushed us all away out of anger and hurt. The rips spread."

He showed her the smaller rips, where they spread from the edges of the larger ones. "Then you spoke to Ilúvatar and he gave you the Rose and the Star. We do not know what he told you or what you said to him but from that moment on, the stitches held and Vairë was able to start mending the damage."

Rylee reached up and clutched the Rose that sat on her chest. The familiar weight of it in her hand soothed her, but she missed the feel of the Star, she missed the connection to Eru. She remembered when he gave it to her. He never said a word, he let her hug him and sob into his encompassing form, then he placed the Rose and Star around her neck. Neither of them said a thing to each other. It wasn't needed. He knew that she was sorry and she knew that he forgave her and only wanted her to be strong. That was the day she decided that she would prove to her family that she was still worthy of their love, and Yavanna and Nienna would look at her again with something other than disappointment in their eyes. That was the day she vowed to herself that she would make Thorin proud of her again, that some day he would call her nâtha like he did when she was young.

When people said that they could see their lives pass before their eyes in moments of near death, Rylee knew that it was not their lives they were watching, but they were viewing the tapestry that they were written into. There was one time that her tapestry was not part of the others, she was not linked to any person, place, or thing. Because of what she was, she would never be truly linked to the time line of Arda. This was done on purpose, to ensure that she could be brought back and then merged into another place in another tapestry. Now she noticed that with each quest, she had threads that tied her permanently into the history of the world. With every quest her tapestry was being bound to the others.

"It is to keep me from going back, isn't it?" Rylee asked quietly, turning away from the tapestry. "The deeds that I have done are permanent now, aren't they?"

"As you know, Ilúvatar has decided that this is to be your last quest," Yavanna said softly. She was still looking at the tapestry, "because of that we must bind your life to the others, that way-."

"If I am captured or turned by Sauron, he cannot use my threads to change the past in his favor," Rylee said in a moment of epiphany. "I refuse to fall, and I refuse to fail. I will not become like him."

She turned to walk away, trying not to feel hurt that they still thought her so weak. It was one thing for her to doubt herself, it was another to know that her family did too. She still had so much work to do to make amends for her past actions. Námo stopped her with his hand upon her shoulder, "We know you won't Rylee."

"You did not let Yavanna finish," Vairë said softly, her voice sad.

Rylee looked up at her mother and finally Yavanna met her eyes. For the first time in fifty years Rylee looked directly into the vivid green of her mother's eyes. "We are binding your tapestry to the others, that way, when you succeed, you will be able to stay with Kíli."

"Kíli. My tapestry will be tied to his?" Rylee asked hesitantly.

Vairë smiled brightly, "You didn't see it, but your tapestry has always been tied to his, from the day of your birth you have been destined to find each other."

"Oh, please, Mahal dropped me on Kíli's lap. I didn't have to look all that hard. Keeping him has been harder than finding him," Rylee quipped to Vairë and Námo, both smiled back. She sobered and looked at both of them standing together in their great halls. "I am very sorry for the trouble that I caused for you and everyone else. I swear I will make it up to you."

"We know you will, Rylee Emitheral," Námo said his face once again stoic and serious. "You are forgiven, but you know you must continue to make amends."

"It is only way to keep the weave tight and strong," Vairë added to her husband's words. It was an admonition and Rylee knew it. She choked down the thickness in her throat, pushed back the tears that threatened and nodded once in understanding.

"We should go, Rylee," Yavanna said sternly, "we have much to discuss before you see your beloved tomorrow."

Rylee followed Yavanna, staying just a half a step behind her. She was terrified to meet her mother's eyes again for fear that she would still see the weight of disappointment within them. Instead Rylee studied her profile. Yavanna was tall and thin, willowy in every way. She was very much like the trees that were so dear to her. Tall, strong, and proud, her feet stood solid on the ground as though with every step she was rooting herself within the rich soil beneath her, and yet her movements were graceful and lithe, like reaching branches swaying in the wind.

The roots of her hair were a deep dark earthy brown that slowly lightened until the middle where the ends turned various shades of green. The very tips were as vivid as the bright vivid green of her eyes. A wreath of leaves, flowers, and berries graced her brow, long tendrils of vines grew off of it, twining within her hair. A fool would think that the crown grew from her body, but Rylee knew that every evening Yavanna would take off the beautiful trailing crown, set it into a large dish filled with water and nutrients to make it grow.

Every night Mahal would come to her and brush her multicolored hair until it glistened in the starlight. These were the memories of her childhood. Rylee seated on the floor in front of Yavanna, her mother brushing her as yet unbraided hair, while Rylee bit her lips and tried not to cry. While Mahal stood behind his wife brushing her wondrous locks, weaving braids into it to keep it from becoming tangled in the night. When they were done, Yavanna would pull Rylee into a hug and tell her how brave she was for letting her brush her hair. Even long after Rylee could brush her own hair they would do this, it was a simple moment of time together as a family. She held back a sob, she dearly missed those moments.

They moved as quick as a thought to the great pastures where creatures of unexplainable origin roamed freely. Rylee loved this place, there was an aura about it that allowed her to just be. The animals didn't run in fear at their approach but neither did they approach them. Finally, there in the middle of the pastures, Yavanna slowed to a stop and Rylee stopped beside her.

"As much as I want to say that I forgive you Rylee, I don't know if it is as easy as that," Yavanna told her quietly. Rylee knew this was coming, some of the harshest things Rylee said were to her mother. Of all of the Valar, Yavanna and Nienna were the ones who Rylee was the most vile to. "You pinned us against each other, you tried to manipulate us to get what you wanted and when it didn't work you resorted to insults and snide remarks. Then you ran away, I was so worried and angry at the same time. I could not believe that you could be so-."

"Stupid?" Rylee whispered through the lump in her throat, "Cowardly, naïve, reckless, impudent, abhorrent? I am all of those and worse, I know, I am reminded of it every day."

"I was going to say childish," Yavanna gasped through a sob of her own, she had not realized how deeply Rylee blamed herself. "But then we had forgotten that you were just a child, only twenty three, you weren't even grown into your adult body. When you returned, how much of our fighting did you hear and see?"

"All of it and I knew that I did that to you," Rylee no longer tried to stop the tears as she remembered the aftermath. The pushing, the shoving, the name calling, and the accusations amongst the Valar as they tried to deal with the damage that Rylee created. Her own bodily injuries, the fact that she was hovering close to death. Tearing the tapestry, severing the timeline and nearly seeing her future self killing Ancalagon the Black, all of these things led to a battle that Eru had to put an end to. By telling the others to walk away, to see what they were allowing to happen, to see how the actions of one rebellious child affected them. "When Eru told everyone to take a step back, I did the same."

"You shut us out Rylee, all of us and that hurt more than the words you spoke." Yavanna said holding her fist in front of her heart. "Every time I tried to talk to you about it, it was like you put a wall up."

"I want to fix it Yavanna," Rylee choked out, "The rift I caused between you and Nienna and myself. I tore apart the strongest friendship among the Valar and I want to fix it."

"Nienna and I worked everything out long ago, when Vairë showed us how you would plant a seedling and use your own tears to bless it," Yavanna turned to Rylee and placed her long tapered fingers on Rylee's shoulders. Rylee met her eyes, tear streaming down both their faces. "Your blessing and your prayer moved us both forward. We just wished you could have told us in person."

"I was-, I am afraid," Rylee sobbed, she felt like she was shaking like one of Yavanna's leaves, "It took me eight bottles of Fire Wine just to gather the courage to open the portal. I was terrified to visit you, I-, I hate seeing the hurt and disappointment in your eyes. I am so, so sorry for disgracing you."

"Oh my darling little Rylee," Yavanna hauled Rylee into her arms, hugging her fiercely, "Stop blaming yourself for what happened, we were the adults and without even realizing it, we put this huge weight of responsibility on your shoulders. A child should not carry the weight of the world. When you recovered, we tried to fix it but it was too late, you were bound and determined to train harder. The child within you was gone and only Aulë and Thorin could get through to you."

Rylee didn't say anything, she could barely breathe past the hard lump in her throat and the mucous filling her nose, her head felt full and her eyes raw from the tears. There was no way that she could say anything to Yavanna. Besides the raw emotion of being hugged by her mother for the first time in fifty years was too much to overcome, all she could do was hug her back and try not to ruin her rich brown and green silk robes by crying on them.

"The Valar are not perfect Rylee," Yavanna whispered in her ear, rubbing her hand soothingly up and down her back, "We too make mistakes."

Yavanna pulled pack and pulled out a silk handkerchief, handing it to Rylee, "Come, let's get you cleaned up. I did not mean for this to be a time of sadness between us. We have a wedding to prepare you for and I have a dear friend that I would like you to meet."

They moved to a small cottage that Yavanna kept in a treed portion of her pastures and Rylee went into the washroom to clean away the remnants of her tears and used a cold cloth to sooth her red eyes. When she returned to the main room Yavanna settled her at the small table and prepared tea for three. She was just placing the last piece of lembas on a plate when there was a knock at the door.

"Come in Eärwen," Yavanna called softly and the door swept open to reveal a stunningly familiar Elf Maiden. Her hair was unlike her daughter's as it was made of silver starlight instead of silky strands of silver and gold. Her daughter did have her eyes and the shape of their face and nose was identical as well. They both shared a regal grace and poise, both of them were tall and lithe, yet Eärwen was not near as tall as Galadriel. "Eärwen, I would like you to meet my daughter Rylee Emitheral."

"I am honored to finally meet the child who has brought my daughter so much joy," Eärwen said as Rylee stood to greet her.

"The honor is mine, my Lady," Rylee smiled, her voice still felt raw from her tears.

"Please, you must call me Eärwen," She scoffed taking Rylee's hand in both of hers. She silently appraised the daughter of Aulë and Yavanna and grinned as she found the small spark of mischief that always seemed to live within the child's eyes. "We watch you two together through your tapestries. Somehow you are always nearby when she needs you to cover for her, and you are always the one to witness her least graceful moments."

"So you have seen everything?" Rylee asked incredulously, she motioned to the table offering Eärwen a seat and a cup of tea and some lembas. Once they were all settled the conversation carried on like there was no pause.

"The only thing we ever missed was your first meeting," Eärwen smiled down at Rylee, "All we know is that she has sworn you to secrecy."

Rylee felt her cheeks burn with no small amount of embarrassment, "Even last night, the um-."

"Burping contest?" Yavanna laughed at Rylee's mortification, "and you getting completely drunk, which by the way you are going to feel very ill in the morning. I will make you a tea, I want you to take it back with you, drink it first thing."

"Yavanna, could you make Galadriel a tonic?" Eärwen said with a knowing smile, and she met her friend's eyes, "We both know what happens when she allows herself to get gassy like this."

Rylee looked between the two women and wondered what on earth they were talking about. Then Eärwen turned to Rylee, "I find it amusing that you also call her Nerwen. It seems to me that the name is even more fitting now than it was when she was a youth. I never would have imagined; ale drinking and burping contests, along with mud baths, pranks, and tripping into piles of manure."


	26. Finding Bliss

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Chapter 26

Finding Bliss

June 11

The day dawned bright and glorious. The brightness of it made her eyes feel like they were going to burst beneath the brilliance of it. Rylee rolled over and groaned as the world spun around her. The pounding in her head was relentless and her stomach kept turning over and over again.

"Stop. Please stop spinning," She whispered to the room in general. She tried to extricate herself from the bedspread and heavy furs that covered her, only to end up falling to the floor in her exertions.

"Ow," she grunted as she crawled to the washroom to use the toilet and try to clean herself up. She did her business then washed her hands and scrubbed her face. The moment she stood, the room spun wildly and she swayed on her feet, barely clutching the countertop to catch herself before falling unceremoniously to the floor. She groaned in pain, felt oddly warm, her mouth tasted like slough water, and she had the sudden violent urge to throw up. She rose and stumbled just far enough to make it to the toilet when the contents of her stomach rose violently up her throat. She retched again and again. Finally she sat back and curled up on the wonderfully freezing stone floor. Never had she felt so feverish, violated, sick, or completely stupid. What was she thinking, drinking eight bottles of Fire wine? Four got her drunk, eight was just plain idiocy.

"Never again Ry, you are never doing that again," Rylee promised herself. Ironically she remembered making that same promise almost seven years ago, after ten flagons of ale and six and a half bottles of fire wine. "This time, I mean it."

It didn't take long for the floor to warm beneath her and suddenly she was on fire once again. 'Oh not again,' she thought to herself as her stomach clenched painfully. She climbed back up and hovered over the bowl of the toilet and retched once again. 'So stupid, I am so stupid.' She thought as she pulled the long chain on the wall and the little chute opened to discard the contents and Rylee crawled out of the washroom.

She looked at the wide windows and realized that darkness still fell over the valley of Rivendell. For a long moment Rylee wondered where the earlier brightness came from, but it was too much thought for someone in her predicament. She needed to find her black satchel, the same one where Yavanna's tea and the mysterious Tonic for Galadriel were awaiting her. Her head was pounding and she could barely see through her own eyes, she just could not focus on any one thing. After rummaging around in the heavy wooden wardrobe she found the bag and then she had to search within it for several minutes before she found what she was looking for. Purely by feel, she found her tea.

She stumbled down the stairs and found a pot of hot water waiting for her on the table for her fortification tea, but this time Rylee dumped the packet of herbs that Yavanna made for her into her heavy cup instead. After letting it steep for exactly five minutes, like Yavanna instructed, she chugged it. She drank it all and consumed the leaves just like Yavanna prescribed. It was absolutely disgusting. It tasted worse than dragon blood and that stuff was toxic. She sat at the table in the same clothes that she wore the day before and looked at the wood grains as they came in and out of focus. It took a quarter of an hour before the concoction hit her, her stomach settled, her head cleared, and her equilibrium was restored. Rylee rose and looked around her marveling at her speedy recovery.

"I love you Yavanna," Rylee whispered before bouncing back up the stairs. She went back to her satchel and looked within, grabbing the bottle of tonic that was inside and raced back down the stairs. Whatever was wrong with Galadriel needed to be fixed, they would never have given her the Tonic if it wasn't important. Rylee looked around for Mikhaul, but she was nowhere to be seen, but then she had been coming and going for days, often coming back absolutely exhausted, which was rare for an equine such as her.

Rylee ran down the streets towards the main house, it was still early, there was no one out on the streets, the sun had not yet risen over the horizon, and Rylee wondered for a moment what it was that woke her. Was it just the fact that she had stumbled through the silver foliage that marked the Path of Dreams and into the dawn of this new day? Rylee shook off the thoughts and ran through the silent halls of the Last Homely House. Her feet barely even touched the ground, trying to be as silent as Oromë taught her to be.

Finally she reached Galadriel's door tapping lightly on it. She could hear her friend on the other side of the door shuffling around. Finally Rylee whispered, "Galadriel, open up, it's me Rylee."

The door swung open and Galadriel bodily hauled Rylee in before soundlessly closing and latching the door. Galadriel looked completely stricken and Rylee snorted. "What? What is it?"

"It won't stop," Galadriel whispered, but every word came out as a mutilated belch. She was about to talk when it happened again, "Of all days to get burp-ups! It is your wedding day!"

The last word of her sentence came out on a low belch and Rylee started to laugh. Galadriel shot her a glare, then burp-upped again when she was about to say something. Rylee was holding out a small vial for her to take. It looked like perfume and Galadriel ignored it, she just bathed, she knew for a fact she didn't need perfume. She finished dressing and then went striding out of the room and down the halls, Rylee following in her wake.

"Here, take this," Rylee said as she followed in Galadriel's wake, wondering where she was going. Galadriel didn't even seem to hear her, she just continued down the halls in silent determination, the only noise she was making were the periodic burp-ups that came and went. Rylee giggled softly, holding her hand over her mouth, trying not to make any sound. Then she remembered Eärwen's words about this happening before and Rylee snorted in amusement. "Oh now I get it! This happened the last time we had a burping contest too! Don't you remember Galadriel?"

"I remember that I was able to hide-," She burped out again and released a slightly longer burp and a loud hiccup before she could go on, burping the words the entire time, "away all day. I cannot go out there like this! It would embarrass Elrond and my grandsons, and it's your wedding Rylee! I am never doing that again."

"Funny you should say that, I just made the same promise," Rylee said with a small smirk, just like she recalled her own vow earlier that morning, she recalled Galadriel making the same one once years before. She tried again to hand Galadriel the vial, "You gonna take this or not?"

"I don't need perfume, Hic-uuurrrp," Galadriel burped out, she sighed in frustration and continued down the hall intent on finding a cure as another fit of burp-ups spilled from her lips.

"But this-," Rylee started following after her friend.

"How are you not freaking out?" Galadriel belched out followed by several more burp-ups.

Luckily there was no one in the halls to witness the pair of them rushing along. Once again Rylee tried handing the vial to Galadriel but she turned away down the next corridor and around a corner into the large kitchen. 'Do I smell bad? Why does she keep handing me that damn perfume?' Galadriel thought as she looked around the kitchen, to make sure no one was within, then she started rummaging through the herbs that were drying and those that were already ground-up and in pots. Rylee chuckled at her as she rifled through things grumbling as she searched for something in particular. "What are you looking for? Maybe I can help you find it?"

"Mint or ginger, they should both be with the live plants, the dried powders would be in with the spices, but I don't see them here," Galadriel burped out in frustration. Then she looked at Rylee for a long moment as two more Burp-ups passed, "How are you not hung over?"

"Oh, well I was hung over," Rylee told her friend with her eyes wide and her hands held up, the small vial still in her hand. "The entire room was spinning when I got out of bed."

"So?" Galadriel had to pause again, but nothing happened, then she burped, "What's your secret?"

"Tea," Rylee said with a smirk, "I saw Yavanna last night and she gave me a tea to fix it. Why do you need ginger or mint? I have a-"

"Brrrreppp,hcUP!" Galadriel closed her mouth and frowned. Then she tried again, but still it all came out as a long stream of belched words, "Just help me find it please. No one can hear me like this."

"The mint and ginger are not here, maybe look in the Healing Halls, they should have some there," Rylee suggested, as she rifled through the hanging plants in the kitchen.

"You know, Yavanna made you a Tonic. I think you ought to try it first?" Rylee said turning around, Galadriel was gone. Rylee chased her down sneaking out of the main building under the cover of darkness, the sun was just barely brightening the horizon as she caught up to Galadriel at the main doors of the Healing Halls near the training fields. It was silent within and they ran into the main Apothecary mixing room. The walls were lined with herbs, leaves, flowers, and pre mixed teas of every kind. There were plants of every nature hanging from the roof slowly drying to be crushed. There were metal shelves lining the windows with living plants of great variety growing where the sun would reach. Rylee slapped the vial on the counter beside her friend and ordered her, "Take that, it will make you better."

Galadriel started rummaging through the pre-mixed tea to see if she could find something that would cure the never ending burp-ups that seemed to come at the most inopportune moments. She burped out, "Oh Rylee, to think that we had all that fun, only to be stuck in this predicament."

Galadriel slapped her hand on the counter making the small glass vial tip and roll to the edge. Rylee charged towards her and dived, her hand just barely breaking the fall of the vial before it rolled to the stone floor. She caught it mid roll and held it up in celebration, with a huge sigh of relief. "What's that?"

"Oh, for crying out loud!" Rylee said in frustration and Galadriel stared at Rylee in wonder. Rylee held the vial up before her friend, "Your mother asked Yavanna to make you this. She said it will sooth your stomach, those amazing little friends of yours will go away, and your voice will be normal again."

"How long have you had that?" Galadriel burped and looked at the small vial and then at her friend.

Rylee snickered and tried once again to hand it to Galadriel, "How many times have I tried handing it to you this morning? You are one determined man-maiden! Remind me never to get in your way when hunting."

"I thought it was perfume!" Galadriel burped shaking her head.

Rylee looked at her and snorted, "Why would I give you perfume? You obviously just bathed and it's not like you took a recent dive in the mud."

"So I don't have to hide in my room!" Galadriel burped as she grinned, taking the little bottle from Rylee. To think she had been trying to give her the vial all this time and she thought it was perfume. "Thank Ilúvatar for my mother!"

Galadriel cracked open the bottle and drank the contents, one last burp came up as the liquid spilled down her throat. It took everything in Galadriel to keep the vile liquid from coming back up. What was it with cures and tasting disgusting? Galadriel's face screwed up into the most vibrant picture of disgust Rylee had ever seen and she began to laugh. Galadriel looked at Rylee clutching her sides, gasping for breath and she started to laugh too. Soon they were both sitting on the floor leaning on the wall holding their sides.

"I can't believe you thought I was chasing you around for a bottle of perfume!" Rylee laughed as she caught her breath, "You are just too much!"

"I was in a panic! This hasn't happened in six thousand years and the last time I was able to spend the day in my room relaxing," Galadriel protested, her voice came out in its normal natural smoothness. She clutched her throat and a small throaty chuckle left her as she went on, "I was thinking of you, you brat! Instead you spent half the dawn chasing me around with a pretty little vial. How in the world did Yavanna give you a cure? How did my mother even know?"

Rylee laughed at the shocked look on Galadriel's face, "They watch us in our tapestries. You know, keeping tabs, watching our contests and shenanigans. The number of times I have covered your arse, that was mentioned too. Though they missed seeing how we met. They wanted to know if you would let me tell them the secret."

"Mother has seen all of that?" Galadriel said with amusement.

"Aye. She says that Nerwen suits you even better now than when you were young," Rylee snickered at her. "She told me she gave you the name because of how tall you grew and your athletic endeavors. Apparently you have always loved hunting, fishing, and the like. She never thought that you would become so interested in all of the other manly contests. Eärwen especially enjoyed the burping contests last night."

"Haha! Yes!" Galadriel cried and started to laugh, she snorted in her mirth, which caused Rylee to fall back into a fit of laugher and Galadriel laughed herself to tears, "To get a compliment like that from my mother, of all people. What a wonderful way to start a wedding day!"

"It has definitely been interesting," Rylee laughed softly as she stood and pulled Galadriel to her feet before walking to the door. "I have to go now. I have a wedding to get ready for."

"Oh Rylee?" Galadriel said, "You can tell mother about how we met, Yavanna too. It only seems fitting that our mother's know where our friendship began. I think it would be amusing for her to see what I was wearing."

She turned to leave when she heard a commotion down the hall. Immediately, she was concerned by the ruckus and headed in that direction. Galadriel was on her heels, concern written all over her face. Several healers were running to and from a room and Radagast was standing outside with Elrond. Elrond had a dire and broken look about his face as Radagast was trying to explain what he found, "I found her in a camp of men, trussed up like a-, a-"

"I grasp that she was tied up," Elrond said patiently, his voice a hushed whisper, "But what was she doing there? She was playing harp at dinner last night and was seen by her peers walking home. Her parents said she never arrived. So how did she get from here into a camp of men miles down the southern fork of the river?"

"Who is it?" Rylee asked as she reached them. She peered into the room as the door opened and her eyes went wide. "She was supposed to come to the House of Aulë last night, she never showed. I thought perhaps she had other plans."

Rylee pushed forward into the room, to Lerain's bedside. The girl looked up at her through blackened eyes. Her nose was crooked indicating a break, and there were small cuts and bruises covering her barely covered body. Rylee took her hand. "You will be all right Lerain. I swear it."

"I fell My Lady," Lerain gasped through the pain, her voice was nasal due to the break in her nose. "I was walking home-, on a lower bridge and I slipped. Stupid klutz," Lerain started to cough, tears streamed from her eyes. "I was in the water, tried to get to-," more coughing as she spit up milky water, the healers turned her on her side so she wouldn't choke on it. When she could speak again, Lerain continued on, "get to shore. When I woke I – I was tied. They-, the men-, they-. I should have been more careful! It's all my fault!"

She started to sob inconsolably, and Rylee didn't need to be told what the men did. She knew. She looked up and saw Galadriel in the doorway staring down at the young elleth. She looked almost as crushed as Lerain. Rylee knew that she was reliving the pain of Celebrian all over again in her mind. The same look had been on Elrond's face just moments before. Galadriel should not be here, she should not be here for this. Rylee caught her eye, "Go get Jovina. Galadriel, go get her now!"

Once Galadriel was gone, Rylee looked back at Lerain, "No matter what Lerain, this was not your fault."

"We have to set your nose Miss Lerain, it is going to hurt. Can you give her something to squeeze?" Lerain looked up at Rylee and gripped her hand even tighter, as Rylee whispered to her that she was strong and a warrior. Rylee nodded to the healers and they moved in to straighten Lerain's nose. There was a soft crunch as the cartilage settled back into place and Lerain screamed at the pain. When they were done her nose was set back in a straight line and they placed heavy cotton into her nostrils, making her gasp for breath as she sobbed loudly.

"Daeron won't love me anymore," Lerain sobbed and Rylee's heart fractured, "I have been defiled. I am ugly. I am nothing now."

"No. No Lerain," Rylee said clutching her hand. Rylee relived a time in which she found Jovina in her first quest, the circumstances were eerily similar. "You are a warrior, strong and mighty, you are worthy of great love. Those who win over darkness are sacred among the Valar. You are Malagnûna."

"What does that mean?" Lerain gasped as the healers cleaned the blood away from her body. A cloth covered her hips and knees where the healer worked trying to repair the damage done to the innocent maiden.

"It is Khuzdul and it means 'she who is sacred'," Jovina said from the doorway, Galadriel standing just behind her. Both of them looked stricken both for different reasons. "You are like me."

"How can I be sacred when I have been dishonored?" Lerain gasped through the pain of the ministrations.

"It was a vile act against your person, nothing more, nothing less. It was a Dark Shadow that has stained your life. Now when blessings enter it you will be more thankful for the joys they bring," Jovina told her sagely, she spoke from her heart, "They may have harmed your body, but your soul is intact, your spirit fights on. You still have innocence in your heart and in your soul. If this Daeron loves you, then he will accept this as what it is, a minor setback in a long life."

"How do you know?" Lerain said sharply, glaring at Jovina with the fighting spirit that lived within the elleth.

"Because the same thing happened to me," Jovina whispered softly. "Rylee helped me through it."

Radagast and Elrond stood in the doorway watching Rylee and Jovina as they tried to soothe the elleth, they both wanted to help the healers do their spells to strengthen Lerain's body. Elrond had no idea that Rylee had witnessed such an atrocity at such a young age, and he knew nearly nothing of Jovina Malagnûna other than what he had heard and what he sensed. They gathered around the bed and Lerain looked up at them in fear. She gripped Rylee's hand even tighter and whispered, "Please Emitheral, don't leave me."

"I must go Lerain, if you are to be healed then I need to leave and I want you healed." Rylee whispered softly. She brushed a kiss over the girl's forehead. "Jovina will come see you when the healers are done. She is going to help you through this."

"Emitheral?" Lerain refused to release her hand, "Can I still come to the wedding?"

"I forgot about the wedding!" Rylee said, her eyes going wide as she looked up at Jovina and Galadriel, "We should postpone it."

"You are not putting off your wedding!" Jovina nearly hollered at Rylee, making everyone in the room jump. Then she spoke softly looking at Lerain and Rylee, "Lerain is going to allow the healers to do their work. Then I am going to talk with her for a bit and she will be at the wedding this evening. You are not putting off your wedding."

"Please Emitheral, She is right, don't delay your wedding for me," Lerain shook her head adamantly. "I just want to know if you still want me to come."

"Oh Lerain," Rylee whispered leaning close, tears filled her eyes. "You would be most welcome at the wedding but only if you feel up to it."

Jovina pulled Rylee and Galadriel out of the room. Rylee knew that Galadriel's powers could help the girl heal, but the dark memories that played in Galadriel's eyes bothered Rylee. As soon as the doors closed and the hallway emptied of people the normally serene Elf Maiden broke.

"They had her for days, torturing her, brutalizing her, beating her. Elrond said she was nearly unrecognizable when the twins found her. They poisoned her and were watching her die," Galadriel whispered as silent tears rolled down her face. She was talking about Celebrian, not Lerain, the grief ate at her, even after hundreds of years, "He healed her body but she could not get through the memories. She woke screaming every night, I stayed here for a time, Elrond and I would take turns going to her. Nothing we said or-, or did helped. She would cry for days and scream at shadows that crossed the walls. What they did to her-, it tore her apart."

Rylee took her friend's hands in her own and led her to the benches that lined the wall. Rylee sat on one side and Jovina on the other. "Lerain is not Celebrian. Radagast found her early, hopefully early enough that we can help her to find the light within her again. It will not be easy for her and she will have to contend with the memories and the horror. Jovina and I will help her."

"How can you know of these things Rylee?" Galadriel said looking at her through tear veiled eyes. She clutched Rylee's hand in her own and Jovina put hers on top.

"You have seen my soul Galadriel, you feel darkness within others better than almost everyone," Rylee furrowed her brow and looked up at her friend, "You cannot tell me that you have not seen it."

"Her portents and her dreams," Jovina whispered, her voice was hollow, as though living in her own memories, but there was strength there too. "I remember when Rylee stayed with me, her dreams were so vivid that there were times that she would wake up screaming certain that she had been violated in the most horrible ways."

"Malagnûna, 'She who is Sacred', you never told me why Rylee started calling you that," Galadriel whispered as she looked between the two Dwarrowdams. They looked at each other, in silent conversation. Jovina took a deep breath.

"I am so sorry Jo-," Rylee started but Jovina cut her off.

"Do you remember how I had built my cottage just outside the protection of Doriath, just off the road a ways?" Jovina asked quietly and Galadriel nodded in remembrance. "After the werewolf you tried to convince me to move at least within the protection of the Girdle but I refused, not wanting to start all over again. Rylee would stay with me when she was in the area so she could train with the whip and the fire."

"I remember, you finally moved into Doriath a couple of months later, after Rylee returned from Gondolin." Galadriel wiped away her tears. Jovina's other hand joined the first in Galadriel's hold.

Jovina nodded, frowned for a moment, and looked back at Galadriel. There was steel in her spine as she sat even straighter and pride flashed in her eyes. "I was attacked by a group of Orcs and Men, I killed three or four using a kitchen knife before they could do anything but I was overpowered. They had me for days, Rylee found me after the third passing of the moon, she slayed the Orcs and the men."

"She was broken, her spirit, her body, her soul. I carried her into Menegroth and the healers there took care of her body, helped her to heal," Rylee whispered looking down at the floor as she recalled the blood, cuts, and bruises that covered Jovina's body. "Thingol refused to allow her to go back to her cottage. He had a place built for her above ground but within the protection of Melian's Girdle. Her Ox, chickens, and livestock were moved to the new place."

"It didn't matter where I lived, I was ready to give up," Jovina said on a choked sob, she pushed back the tears and took a steadying breath. "I had a cup of poison in my hand ready to end my life when Rylee told me that I could not leave her. She said, 'You are my Mother of Middle-Earth that Eru sent me to find. I just found you, you cannot leave me now. You are Malagnûna. You are as sacred to me as you are to the Valar.' She was right, because she was the daughter of my heart and I could not bear to part with her."

Silence fell between the three as they sat there, all of their hands entwined in Galadriel's lap. "It makes me wonder, if you were here for Celebrian, if you could have spoken to her like you did Lerain, like you did with Jovina, would she have stayed? I miss her so."

"I wish I could have tried, but the time is long past and all I can do now is ask for news when I return to Aman," Rylee vowed quietly, looking up at Galadriel. "If you wish to give her something, a token or a letter, I can get it to her."

"I will-, I mean, I do have something for you to give her," Galadriel said softly. She looked at the doors and heard the familiar chanting coming from within. "How do we help her? How do we help Lerain?"

"I will stay with her for a while once the healers are done. It helps to talk about it, to someone who has been through a similar situation." Jovina said quietly studying the door. "I will help her talk it out. I want to know what she remembers from beginning to end, from there we will find a way to bring her some closure. We will have to talk to this Daeron, tell him what has happened. He has a choice to make regarding her, he may not want to stay with her knowing that earning her love will be that much harder."

"She will need her family and friends there to support her, not be there all the time, not smother her with affection, mind you. Just be there when she breaks down, listen when she wants to talk, and hold her when she is feeling low." Rylee said softly as she remembered what worked best with Jovina. "We will need to tell her a thousand times that this was not her fault. She needs to be reminded that she is a survivor, a fighter, and a warrior. That she is sacred."

"Then we will need to remind her a thousand more," Jovina said with a small smile, "Do not be surprised if she suddenly has a desire to learn how to wield a weapon and learn to protect herself."

"Jovina harassed me to teach her to use a sword but she had no finesse, daggers were no good either, her skill with a whip was for the ox only, so I taught her to use a staff," Rylee smiled sadly as she remembered teaching Jovina, just as Jovina was teaching her to use her magic.

"Other than time, all we can do is offer her our support and our love," Jovina finished as Daeron and Glorfindel charged down the hall.

"Where is she? Where is Lerain?" Daeron looked beside himself in panic and Galadriel swept to her feet stopping him before he could enter her room.

"She is within, they are healing her body," Galadriel said softly, her age old wisdom took over and she looked at Jovina and Rylee. "Rylee you should go, the sun has long risen and Rohinna will be affright when she sees you not in your rooms. Jovina and I will talk to Daeron."

Rylee nodded and stood, then she looked at Daeron, "From that first night you were smitten, I saw it then Daeron. Darkness has fallen upon Lerain. If what is in your heart is true, do not let her push you away."

"What do you mean Emitheral? What has happened to Lerain?" Daeron demanded looking at her then at Jovina and Galadriel. Jovina pushed Rylee towards the exit and she reluctantly walked away. She sobbed when she heard Daeron's anguished voice cry out and something hit the wall. Rylee could only hope that he would heed her words and hold his beloved close to his heart. Unable to handle the intensity of the emotions anymore Rylee ran back to her little house in the corner of the city, tears welling in her eyes.

Upon her arrival Rohinna ushered her upstairs and into the bathroom. Rylee explained briefly what happened to Lerain, without going into detail, as she unraveled the Valar braid that was still in her hair. Then she stripped and sank into the relaxing heat of her bathtub. When she rose to wash her hair she explained to Rohinna what Lerain would need from them. Rylee knew that she would only be there for another week or so, Lerain would need support long after Rylee and Jovina were gone. Rohinna was the perfect person to provide such guidance since she was there to help Jovina.

Rylee brushed out her hair, enjoying the way it fell and feeling thankful that she no longer had to wear the Valar braid. She looked at her hair in the glass and the braids for her quests, she wanted to change them. They were already taking up so much of her hair and it had been years since she changed her style. Today was the perfect day for change. Rylee unbraided the four braids and rewashed her hair, removing the kinks from the braids. Finally, she twined new braids into her hair, using all five pairs of quest clasps in each braid.

Then Rohinna helped her dress in a simple blue gown. Rylee didn't feel she had anything appropriate for a wedding. She considered wearing her whip and her axes, as she always did, since they were such a part of who she was but in the end she decided against it. She did not want to show up for her union with Kili looking as though she was ready for war. It did not feel right to her. She told this to Rohinna and was surprised to hear the seer agree wholeheartedly, considering it was Rohinna who once advised her to never be without a weapon. Once dressed, she met Jovina and went to Elihara and Elorin's house in order to complete their tasks for the day.

Jovina assured her that appearance wise, Lerain looked almost fully healed, other than some faint bruising, which she could cover with powder. The elleth promised to be at the wedding and Daeron promised to never leave her side and dance every dance with her if she wanted. When she tried to push him away, like Rylee thought she might, Daeron asked her to marry him. Lerain cried and tried to come up with every reason for him to leave her and for every reason he gave her another to stay. Jovina said it was likely the most romantic moment she had ever witnessed. Rylee still felt somewhat guilty for allowing her wedding to go ahead while something so serious had taken place, but Jovina assured her that Lerain was adamant that the wedding continue as planned.

Rylee's thoughts turned to Jovina and how she had suddenly arrived in this time. Every time Rylee tried to bring up what happened to Jovina or the magic training that they would be doing, the Dwarrowdam would brush it off and tell her that they would have time for talking once Rylee was married and her honeymoon over. Until that time, they would not speak of the past or the future. When Rylee persisted, Jovina looked her directly in the eye and said, "Today is your day, Rylee Emitheral, there has already been too much drama. We will not allow it to be marred by trivial things. Focus on what is happening right now and live within these moments. There will be time for reflection later."

"Fine but I will hold you to that," Rylee said, chagrined. She turned back to her task of collecting and cleaning crystal goblets that would be used by the guests during the ceremony.

Thanks to Kili and his courting gift of procuring the Armory in the previous days, she was able to create the clasps to mark their union, and it would only complement what he already wore in his hair. As for the blood bond, Kili was to wear a dagger that they would both use and she was to provide the sweet honey mead and the cup from which they would drink. The blood bond would create a strong union between them, one that would last for centuries if they were blessed to have that long together.

Elihara and Rohinna helped her to find several bottles of the sweet mead, for both the blood bond as well as for the guests to share in their union. They gathered glasses that would be suitable for the guests and another for the blood bond. She helped Rohinna bake some sweet cakes, traditional ones from a recipe that Rylee could remember Ainu Nienna using. By helping, she did only what Rohinna asked her to do and provided the recipe. She was otherwise hopeless in the kitchen and just watched from the table as she drank her fortification tea.

Elorin collected everything and took it to the central gardens where the ceremony would take place. Kili and Thorin were to set up everything there. She was not allowed to arrive until just before the ceremony began. Once Rohinna and Jovina left to prepare the House of Aulë for their homecoming, the day seemed to slow to a crawl, giving her too much time to think. She was terrified that Kili would realize his mistake and back out. She considered calling the whole thing off due to her own terror and nerves. She was beginning to fidget, which was driving Elihara up the wall. Sitting at the table, ignoring her frozen tea and drumming her fingers on the table as time crawled by, she could not stop the fear.

"Come, we are going to find Mikhaul and you are going to ride your mare to the central gardens," the Elf Maid said standing up suddenly, stopping Rylee's fingers from their incessant drumming on the table.

"Good idea, I cannot stand to sit here for one more moment." Rylee nearly jumped out of her seat, making her way to the door, they were stopped by Elorin just as they were about to make their escape.

"Mikhaul is on the doorstep," He said with a half grin. He stood in the doorway blocking the way, holding a thick cloth satchel. "She brought this for you."

Rylee looked at the bag in complete confusion. Stepping forward she took it from him, her hands shaking. There was a small piece of paper sitting on top, hand written in a most familiar form;

_"Beloved daughter, _

_Follow your heart, the rest will come. _

_–M. &amp; Y." _

She opened it up and found, to her amazement, bridal robes.

She carried the satchel to Elihara's bedroom and changed out of her dress and into the formal robes. There were soft white slippers and a wide mithril and dragon scale belt, encrusted with black and white diamonds. The last thing she found in the bag was a long white ribbon. She looked upon it for a moment before she realized that it was for the hand fasting portion of the ceremony. She had forgotten that it was her duty to provide her own Ribbon.

There was a knock at the door, "Rylee? It is time to go."

Opening the door, she stepped out and Elihara gasped in amazement, "You are stunning, Rylee. Who sent you the robes?"

"Mahal and Yavanna," Rylee whispered softly, a tear building in her eye. Rylee wiped it away.

* * *

It was sunset. Kili was terrified. What if she didn't show? What if she realized that marrying him would be the biggest mistake of her life and she ran? Elorin brought the sweet honey mead hours before, as well as sweet cakes that Rylee and Rohinna made. With a wink Elorin said, "They are edible, I promise, she merely provided the recipe and did what she was told."

The glasses for the guests were already filled and waiting for the moment of toasting the union. 'Hush', the dagger Rylee made and Mahal gave him, sat on the altar beside the silver chalice for the blood oath, the bottle of mead sitting beside it. He stood with Thorin and Fili in front of the altar on the dais. He wore the clothing that Mikhaul brought for him and fiddled with the long blue grey ribbon that he held in his hands. The Company was already seated, impatiently waiting for the ceremony.

Gandalf, Lord Elrond, Lady Galadriel, Glorfindel, Daeron and Lerain, Elladan and Elrohir, and Rohinna were all present. There was another tall blonde elf with a beard seated with them and Kili wondered if there was any relation between him and Elorin, though the blonde hair was the only shared trait. There was also a maid sitting near the seats reserved for Elorin and Elihara she had thick black hair, silky sideburns, and a smattering of beard along her jaw line. Kili wondered if this was Elorin and Elihara's daughter. Rylee's Elven friends nearly equaled the numbers of the company, the seats were all full. The only people invited that were missing were the White Wizard and the Brown Wizard.

All Kili was waiting for was his bride and as the minutes stretched onward, his stomach clenched in fear that she would not show. He heard Mikhaul's shoes on the cobblestones before he saw them. Jovina arrived first, wearing a pale blue dress that pooled at her feet and fell in waves from her wrists, her pale blonde hair fell loosely to her heels as she walked into the garden first. Elihara entered second, elegantly dressed in soft green robes, her black hair curling around her shoulders. Elorin followed in a similarly colored robe, the many clasps in his blonde beard tinkled and chimed as he walked, like tiny bells announcing their arrival. Finally there was Rylee, sitting atop her mare. He could not see anything other than her form because of the sheer black veil that covered her. Mikhaul was prettied up, with her beard and mane braided and beaded, even her long tail sported braids and beads.

They made their way through the silent garden. Jovina stepped onto the dais and moved to stand beside Fili while Elihara and Elorin took their seats with the company. Mikhaul and Rylee slowly made their way to the dais. Rylee could not help but admire Kili. He wore black leather breaches, a deep blue leather tunic with his personal emblem detailing the hems overtop of a lighter blue linen tunic with black trim. Over his tunic was a hefty belt made of black metal with a buckle of blue sapphires and black diamonds. The cuff she gave him was on his wrist, it complimented his clothing perfectly. Apparently Mahal gifted Kili with clothes of his own for their wedding because these were not garments made by elves, and Rylee recognized the dragon hide. His hair was loose, to allow her to braid in his hair.

"Who has blessed this union for the bride?" Thorin asked clearly to the group.

There was a stunned moment when Mikhaul's 'voice' whispered through the entire parties minds. "This union is blessed by Ilúvatar, Mahal, Yavanna, and Myself."

The great horse bowed low to the ground so that Rylee could slide down. She dismounted on the side closest to the guests and as she walked around the front of Mikhaul, the horse stepped on the train of the veil, Ryle continued to walk toward Kili and the veil slowly slipped away to reveal his bride. There was a stunned silence as Rylee was revealed. She was in the most stunning bridal robes Kili could remember seeing.

She wore white breaches, with a pair of small white slippers. A long white fitted tunic hung to her knees, the edges and hems were crimson red and adorned with silvery white embroidered Dwarven knots and braids. There were glyphs and runes within the pattern. Tiny crystal gem stones were sewn into the patterns catching the light like fire. Over top was a deep storm gray fitted robe, the long tail hung just an inch off the ground it was trimmed in snow white fur and hemmed with the same intricate designs and gems as her tunic. A wide mithril belt with shining white scales cinched her tiny waist, it was edged in diamonds of both black and white.

Her hair was left loose, leaving it free for him to work with, the long glossy waves catching the light. Her braids and beads twinkling like jewels within the flowing locks. The ever present mithril diadem graced her brow. It was then Kili noticed that the braids were changed. There was now one thick intricate five stranded braid that curved around each ear. Entwined into each braid were five clasps, one for each of her arrivals in Middle-Earth. The new style freed up several inches of unbraided hair, hair that he could use for her marriage braids. The softest of smiles lifted her lips as she slowly made her way toward him, clutching a white Ribbon in her hand. Kili was breath-taken, his heart stopped for a moment as she joined him on the dais. She was exceptionally beautiful in his eyes, not a single flaw. His lips curved up into a small smile. With her next words, the smile turned into a grin.

"I pledge my hand, my heart, and my soul to my beloved, Kili son of Sevrin." Rylee said stating her intentions to the group, her voice was soft and filled with emotion. The lightening was in her eyes and the power was in her voice. She handed her ribbon to Fili who gave her a wink.

It was Kili's turn to state his intentions to their guests. He looked at her again and spoke with confidence, "I pledge my hand, my heart, and my soul to my beloved, Rylee Emitheral daughter of Mahal."

He handed his ribbon to Jovina and both he and his beloved turned to Thorin. "Are there any who have a Right or Reason to block this union? Speak now or be beholden to silence forevermore."

Not a soul spoke and Thorin moved on to the exchange of items. "As a united partner you are expected to share pain, loss, grief, laughter, light, and love with your beloved. To share in all things both worldly and otherwise is symbolized with an exchange of braids. Have you your clasps to exchange?"

Kili reached into his pocket and pulled out four red mithril hair clasps and handed them to Thorin. Inspired by the miniature roses he bought from the vendor on their first courting day, he created a set of exquisite roses, hammered out and welded together on the clasps, a small black diamond at the center of each flower. They were so intricate and delicate that it looked as though real flowers were bursting forth out of the metal.

Rylee was holding her items in her hand. She dropped four hair clasps into Thorin's outstretched hand beside Kili's. Each one was the size of the tip of her thumb, she used magic to turn the red mithril blue, for the line of Durin. At the top and bottom of each clasp was a band of crusted gems, sapphires, and black diamonds. Engraved in the body of the metal were runes, symbols, and glyphs which meant 'beloved of my heart'.

Thorin looked at the beautiful clasps and smirked. Kili was teased relentlessly by his peers in the village in Ered Luin for his delicate work, but it was as though he worked magic pulling the forms out of the metal as he did. He cleared his throat with a small uprising of pride as he met his nephew's eyes. Rylee's jewel crusted clasps were no less entrancing, the blue metal shone like daylight which made the gems embedded in the metal gleam brightly. He could not read the ancient runes but he could feel the power and the intent within them. The pair of them had created something so filled with love for the other, there was no way that their bond could possibly be broken. He covered the clasps with his other hand and spoke his blessing over the exchange items, "As your King I bless this union in the eyes of the Valar and the Peoples of Middle-Earth. Please make your exchange."

Rylee took her clasps back from Thorin's hand, stepped behind Kili, and picked up a strand of hair from the left side of the crown of his head. She then began to braid, spacing the clasps through the braid with one near the top and another securing the end. Then she did the same on the right. When she was done, Kili handed her his dark metal hair clasp and she arranged his hair as he preferred it, bringing her two braids together within the one, symbolizing their union with each other. While the clasps shone brightly, the braids fell within the rest of his thick dark hair. The effect was subtle, understated, and it suited Kili, yet it was still obvious enough that it proclaimed her undying love for him. Satisfied with her work she moved back to stand before her intended.

Kili took his time. As her intended he could make whatever changes he wanted to her braids but he did not want to change her, just mark her for the world as his own. He picked up a thick chunk of hair at her temple just above her new quest braid and began to entwine his personal plait into her hair. He used a smaller singular rose clip to secure the end and then he made a second braid beside it, and did the same on the other side. He then collected all of the hair to the top of her head into a half tail and joined his four braids with the heavy mass, making sure that his braids were showing above all others. There was no subtlety for Kili, he wanted his claim to speak loudly to the world; Rylee was his. She handed him her mithril clip and he secured her hair into position. He moved back into his place and looked at Thorin who moved to the next part of the union.

Elorin stepped forward carrying a massive hammer, an exact replica of Mahal's, he held it across his wide chest and made a complete circle around the couple, then he held it over their heads as Thorin said the Seven Blessings of Mahal, sanctifying their union and blessing it in the eyes of the seven kingdoms. He added the Blessing of Ilúvatar as well since it was with his blessing that this was even possible.

Fili and Jovina both stepped forward into the circle of Unity and each presented the couple with a wedding band. Kili took his ring from Fili, it was small, and the marks of his clan were engraved into the bright gold band. He, Thorin, and Fili made the rings the night that Rylee got pranked with the Devil-weed. The wording of the vows was changed, considering their special circumstances. Thorin had explained the necessity of the ring exchange to Rylee the day before, he understood that in her eyes it was quite a redundant practice if they would be doing a blood bond, but she agreed graciously.

"In the embrace of my clan you will find a house and I will find a home within your heart," Kili vowed to her, they both knew that he did not yet have Halls to give her, but he still wanted her to become part of his Clan, to become part of his family. House or no, he wanted her with him always. He slipped his ring onto her finger and it shined brightly against her pale skin, the markings of his Clan glittering in the low light. The runes lit on the ring as it slipped into place, Rylee's magic reacting to the emotions in the band.

Rylee couldn't care less about having a house to live in. Having spent most of her time in Middle-Earth travelling, she just wanted Kili and the love of this family. She just wanted the acceptance of his people and the embrace of her One. Still she completed the vow, as she slipped the plain gold band onto Kili's finger, "In the embrace of your clan I will find a house and you will find a home within my heart."

Rylee's voice was filled with her emotive power and the band, though plain, lit with runes as she moved it into place. Kili could feel her love emanating from it and he was speechless. Their guests were equally as stunned, all but Jovina who watched with a small smile.

Elorin stepped back lowering the great war-hammer and he retreated back to his seat. Thorin could not help the pride that swelled in him for both Kili and Rylee. He turned to the altar, opened the bottle of mead and poured it into the silver chalice that Rylee provided for the rite. Picking up the dagger he handed it to Kili and said, "Will you Kili, fortify this union by giving a part of yourself to your bride and Mahal?"

Kili took the dagger in his right hand and made a small cut in the mound of his left palm under his thumb. He handed the dagger back to Thorin and then he raised his palm over the chalice and allowed three drops of blood fall into the cup. "With my blood, I offer my heart to Rylee in the eyes of Mahal."

"Will you Rylee, fortify this union by giving a part of yourself to your groom and Mahal?" Thorin asked as he handed the dagger to Rylee.

"With my blood, I offer my heart to Kili in the eyes of Mahal," Rylee said softly, accepting the dagger and making a small cut in the mound under her thumb. Three drops of blood, one for herself, one for Kili and a third for the Vala, fell into the chalice.

Thorin used the tip of the dagger to stir the contents together, uniting the blood into one vessel.

"Clasp your hands together," Thorin ordered them, holding the cup above their hands, "Fili and Jovina will bind these two souls as one with their ribbons."

Rylee and Kili joined their hands, the blood from their dagger wounds mingled together on their flesh. Rylee looked up and met Kili's eyes. Her heart stopped, her mind spun, and she was breathless. She would never get over what he made her feel with the simplest of touches. He gripped her hand tighter, a small smirk lifted his lips as he watched her. He could see hunger and desire in her eyes, as she looked at him. He could feel the trembling in her hand. Fili and Jovina worked together, twining the ribbons around their hands, weaving them together and finally finishing their ends at the opposite wrist in a true-love knot. White ribbon entwined with blue gray in a knot that was known to stand the test of time and endurance. While the ribbons were woven together Elven servers moved through the guests handing them each a goblet of the sweet honey mead. Once the knots were in place, Thorin asked them to speak their vows.

"Do you Kili, vow to hold your beloved as your equal in all things forevermore?" He asked clearly for their guests to witness.

"I vow it so," Kili stated clearly, meeting Rylee's gaze watching intently as she blushed deeply at his words.

"Do you Rylee, vow to hold your beloved as your equal in all things forevermore?" Thorin asked again for Rylee to return the sentiment. There was a feminine sob from the guests and Kili's eyes flicked to where Elihara was handing her daughter a handkerchief.

"I vow it so," Rylee said, once again her words vibrated with emotion.

Thorin handed the chalice to Rylee. She took a long drink, she was to down half of it and offer the remainder to Kili. Passing the chalice to him over their bound hands, blessing the knots, Kili took the goblet and drank the rest. He held the goblet over their knotted hands and Rylee lifted her free hand to join his on the goblet. Together they raised the glass signifying a toast to their union. The entire company raised their glasses and drank their mead down to the last drop to signify their blessing of the event.

Thorin took the chalice and said, "With the blood of your union, your hands, hearts, and souls are bound together forever more. As your King and your kin, I bless this sacred bond and pronounce you One. Kili you may kiss your-," He stopped cleared his throat and corrected himself, thinking 'equal union', and instead of bride he said, "Rylee."

"My Rylee," Kili grinned liking the sound of that. Using their bound hands Kili pulled Rylee against him and crushed her in a kiss. She melted against him, her fingers twining in his hair, she found her braids and gave them a soft tug. Kili felt it and kissed her harder with a growl. She was his and he was hers, the thought of belonging to her made him feel impulsive and possessive. He reluctantly pulled away.

Thorin stood behind them with a small smirk, "Go forth and be blessed."

The elves clapped with joyous decorum while the Dwarves hooted and hollered. Elihara and Rohinna were wiping away joyous tears. Lerain had tears streaming down her face and Daeron held her possessively like she was a diamond treasure. Gandalf wore his knowing smile. Together, hands still bound they stepped down from the dais to be received as a united couple by their guests.

Fili nearly jumped on them, hauling them both into an enthusiastic hug. "Welcome to the family, little sister. Now that you are one of us, we will never let you go."

"Why thank you, Fili," Rylee laughed as she was crushed against Fili and Kili.

"You are one of us now Rylee, you are family," Thorin said as he wrapped his arms around them into a bear hug squeezing the three of them even tighter. Rylee was happy that she was a Dwarrowdam, because if she was man or elf she certainly would have broken under the pressure of such an embrace.

Jovina approached them and touched their bound hands, "You will have many trials before you. For your love to be a success, you must give fully of yourselves and let no one come between your love, be they friends or foe. You are Valar blessed."

Galadriel and Elrond stepped up to them together and each gave them hugs, as Galadriel said, "It is easy to love in times of light, watch over each other in darkness, it is in the arms of each other that you will find the strength to keep the shadows at bay."

Every member of the company rose to give their personal blessings, and to draw the united couple into an embrace. Elorin picked up his fiddle and started to play as wine and ale flowed freely. A feast was brought out and more and more guests arrived, mostly elves having heard the obvious strains of a celebration in the garden. The evening was much livelier than their first one in Rivendell, with many more guests and a more festive air. Kili learned that the blonde bearded Elf was Cirdan, one of Rylee's acquaintances from the First Age and the black haired girl was indeed Elihara and Elorin's daughter. Her name was Kalyna.

Rylee pulled Kili over to Lerain and Daeron, where she pulled Lerain into a one armed hug, "I am so happy you came."

"Thank you Rylee Emitheral," Lerain clutched her tight, whispering in her ear, "Jovina is amazing, your words and hers, they helped."

"She is amazing isn't she?" Rylee grinned, glancing over at the blonde Dwarrowdam. Then warning Lerain to remain strong, she whispered softly, "You know there will still be darkness?"

Kili watched his bride with quiet curiosity. He knew that something big had happened earlier that day. There was quite the commotion at one point on the training field when Daeron took his anger out on a training dummy. The poor wooden object was now just kindling. Whatever it was had to do with Lerain, who seemed to look quite tired yet fully determined to stay and enjoy the wedding.

"Only if I give in to it," Lerain said adamantly shaking her head, "I will be strong. I will be like you and Jovina Malagnûna."

"Oh Lerain, you are already strong," Rylee smiled at the girl.

"Thank you, for your warning. She did try to push me away." Rylee met Daeron's eyes, they were sad but he was truly devoted to Lerain. "We will face everything together, I swear it."

They were pulled away moments later by Bofur, Bombur, and Bifur. Being bound together made the evening interesting since both Rylee and Kili were being pulled in different directions by their friends. It was all a test to see if the knots would truly hold or if they could be torn apart. Rylee knew that by the end of the evening the knots would be so tight that they would be nearly impossible to untie. Being the newlywed couple also meant that they did not have a chance to eat at the feast for their guests. This was fine with Rylee since they would have their own feast later.

The music changed a dozen times, as did the players in order to allow for everyone attending to enjoy the celebration to the fullest. Even Lerain and Daeron played for a while, it was really fast paced and Rylee was whirled around the floor by Kili, who was taking full advantage of the fact that Rylee could not escape him. Every dance was his and other than being pulled around the floor by their friends, he didn't have to leave Rylee's side.

Kili and Rylee were in the midst of dancing a jig in the center of the garden, as Elorin played the fiddle, other instruments such as Bofur's clarinet had joined in earlier and the tunes kept coming faster and faster. Kili was grateful when the music slowed and he was able to pull Rylee against him in a slow waltz. He was ready to leave and let their guests carry on with the party without them when suddenly he and Rylee were lifted into the air by Dwalin and Thorin. They were paraded around the garden on their shoulders circling all of the guests until finally they were released right beside Mikhaul.

Kili climbed onto Mikhaul's back first and then Rylee followed. With a quick intentional tug on their bound hands, Kili pulled Rylee off center and she fell sideways onto his lap. The company laughed, recalling all the times that Rylee had fallen for Kili. Kili wound his arm around her pulling her closer so she would not fall. It was very intimate and garnered more wild and raunchy hoots from the dwarves. Knowing automatically that the couple was ready, Mikhaul rose daintily to her feet and walked away carrying them away from the garden.

"Congratulations, it is about time you two created a union," Mikhaul whispered into their minds.

"Thank you Mikhaul," Kili grinned patting the stead gratefully, "I could not have caught her without you, skittish maid that she is."

Rylee chuckled softly, "You had me from the moment I met your eyes Kili."

"If I had only known," Kili groaned pulling Rylee tight against him.

Mikhaul carried Rylee and Kili through the village away from the cottages that overlooked the great bay. The stars shone brightly above them in the clear dark sky, moonlight lit the cobblestone streets and the night flowers bloomed fragrantly around them. It would be the first time Kili actually got to step foot into Rylee's Rivendell home. Every other time he visited her or dropped her off, they met or parted at the door. Mikhaul's gait was so smooth that Kili allowed his grip on Rylee to ease and he ran his fingers up and down her spine, concentrating on his new bride, he felt her begin to tremble in his arms.

Rylee was suddenly playing shy, not meeting his eyes, and blushing darkly every time she did happen to meet his gaze. He watched her curiously, as her right hand rose to where the cords of his tunic were tied together. Her movements were hesitant, her breaths were shallow.

"Rylee," he whispered as his hand tangled in her hair. She looked up at him, her gray eyes sparkling with the starlight. "You are the most beautiful dwarrowdam I have ever met."

He met her lips hungrily and she met his with equal fervor. He devoured her mouth like he was a starving man. Exploring her heat, twining his tongue with hers, dominating and submitting, they were so involved in each other that they were oblivious to everything else. He released her only to let them catch their breath for a moment before meeting her lips again and again. Mikhaul stopped in front of the house and told them they were arrived, she was blatantly ignored. The couple didn't even hear her they were so absorbed with each other. Then she tried to snort and whinny to get their attention. They broke away only when the perturbed horse bowed low and the sudden motion nearly made Rylee fall. Kili easily caught her and held her against him, until Mikhaul stopped moving.

"Sorry Mikhaul," Rylee laughed and laid her free hand on the mare's neck.

Mikhaul just shook her head and whispered, "Just go get it out of your system already."

Kili laughed outright and Rylee blushed crimson at Mikhaul's sassy words. Rylee slid to her feet and Kili followed landing lightly beside her. They walked to the door of the house and unhooked the latch. It swung open silently. Kili looked down at his lovely bride and whispered, "I would carry you over the threshold, but with our hands clasped like this, it would be quite difficult."

"We are equals. We walk over the threshold together." Rylee whispered in return, she smiled up at him and they stepped into the cottage and shut out the rest of the world. There was a small little kitchen and living area, a dining table sat in the center, laden with fruits, vegetables, and some of the little cakes that Rylee helped Rohinna make. Sparkling wine with a pair of fluted glasses sat amongst their little feast. "Did Thorin tell you how we remove the ribbons?"

"Nay, he said you would tell me." Kili smiled with a small wink.

"Good, you took care of everything else. We toast each other, feed each other, and then we can remove the ribbons," Rylee told him softly, leading him to the table. They each made a plate for each other and together they opened the wine and filled the flutes. They picked up their glasses and Rylee whispered, "May we love as long as we live and live as long as we love."

"Here's to you who halves my sorrows and doubles my joys." Kili said in return. They touched the rims of their glasses and together they took their first sip. Then they took turns feeding each other; grapes, berries, sliced apples, pears, melons, little biscuits covered in cream. It was all light finger-food.

Rylee watched him eat as she fed him, trying a little of everything, some things he really liked and others he made faces to. She laughed and made mental notes of his likes and dislikes. She lifted a berry smothered with thick cream to his mouth and the cream dribbled on his lip. Just as he swallowed the berry she leaned forward and licked away the cream from his lip. Kili growled in desire, her lips hovered just over his. He moved to kiss her and she pulled away with a giggle. He was going to protest when she popped the last little cake in his mouth, not giving him a chance.

"My turn," he whispered once the cake was gone, "you are going to pay for your cheek, lass."

"Am I?" Rylee grinned at him, her brow arched saucily.

Picking off of her plate, every morsel he fed her, he touched her. Along her jaw, the shell of her ear, the column of her neck. She gasped and shivered at every touch. He fed her a strawberry and then he dropped kisses along the neckline of the bridal robe, going lower and lower, closer and closer to the middle of her chest. Heat pooled through her body, exciting and unknown. She growled huskily, "Kili, I am no longer hungry for food."

"'Tis unfortunate that you have yet to finish your plate," Kili grinned at her and met her eyes. He pressed a chocolate covered biscuit to her lips, but she was suddenly pouting up at him. Her big grey electric eyes were pleading, her lower lip plump and protruding just enough. He nearly gave in, the look was so completely endearing. "Nice try my love, but you will need your energy this night, eat."

Rylee reluctantly took the biscuit as he fed it to her, bite by bite, until the last one where she purposely licked his fingers, cleaning away the melted chocolate. His eyes darkened as he watched her mouth and growled softly as Rylee purred, "Chocolate suits you Kili."

"Choose your next bite Rylee, what will you have?" Kili rasped. There were only two items left on her plate, a small cherry tart and a small date square. She looked at the plate and Kili used her distraction to pull her onto his lap with their bound hands. She was straddling him now and he purposely settled her over his growing erection.

"Oh!" She gasped in surprise at the sudden increase in intimacy, white sparks burst in her grey eyes. She sighed softly as she settled against him, a blush creeping over her cheeks as Rylee said saucily, "Dates first, cherry last."

He laughed at her cheek and obliged her, feeding her the date square first, again she sucked it off of his fingers. He used the wet tip of his fingers to trace the column of her throat, to the small dent at the bottom. He watched her swallow, then with a deft move he covered her breast and lightly pinched her nipple through her tunic. She whimpered and arched up into his hand, "Kili please."

"One more Rylee," Kili teased her softly, "just one cherry tart."

Kili pressed the tart against her lips, purposely covering her lips in the deep red jelly filling before inserting the rest into her mouth. She didn't have a chance to lick her lips this time, Kili did, licking and sucking on her lips as Rylee tried to concentrate on chewing and swallowing. His hand was on her bottom pulling her tighter against him as he rocked his hips against hers. Rylee's free hand grasped his tunic as she tried to steady herself on him, she whimpered softly against his mouth, "Oh by the Grace of the Valar, please tell me we are done eating."

"Yes love, let's untie these knots," Kili said against her lips, tugging on their bound hands, "I want to know you with both hands."

Rylee moaned gratefully. They slowly worked the knots loose, their frustrations rising until finally the ribbons came free. Rylee pulled away and twined the ribbons around each other making a dual colored rope then she made a simple slipknot and gave it to Kili. "Go hang this on the outside doorknob."

"Why?" Kili asked her, impatient to get to know his wife.

"It tells others that we are newlywed and they are to leave us to our celebration," she told him urgently. "It gives us privacy."

"Ah, good idea," Kili took the ribbon and went to tie it on the door knob. Rylee picked up both wine glasses and the bottle and carried them up to the bedroom loft. Rylee noticed that there was a basin of water on the washstand and a salve so they could wash their hands and clean the cuts from the blood oath. She set the bottle of wine and the glasses on the bedside table and turned to see Kili standing in the door way holding a tall candle, which he used to light the others in the room.

He was looking at her predatorily, hunger in his gaze. He kicked off his boots, unbuckled his belt and unlaced his tunic, stalking towards her slowly. She watched him with a hunger of her own, heat coiled through her belly, her flesh felt like it was tingling everywhere his eyes touched. She stepped towards him but made no other movements, suddenly fearful and unsure. He stopped in front of her and took both of her hands in his, placing them both on his chest. Then he ran his fingertips slowly up her arms, brushing gently over her shoulders and down her back to unclasp the belt from around her waist.

The belt fell away and Rylee's fingers clutched Kili's tunic, she focused only on his face as she felt his hands spread up her back and down to her hips. She watched the desire written there, his want, his need. She loved the way his eyes darkened as he caressed her through her thick robe, the sexy smirk that pulled his lips and brightened his eyes as he pulled at the fabric. Her breath caught in her throat as she watched him, something pulled within her. Her own hands moved of their own accord, exploring the breadth of his chest, the heat of his flesh that warmed her hands through the fabric. There was too much fabric. Too many layers. Before she could say anything her robe was being pushed off of her shoulders and onto the floor.

Kili's hands skimmed her shoulders, ribs, hips, and thighs as he reached for the edge of her tunic. Finally it was up and over her head. He reached for the ties on her breaches, cursing the traditional dwarven ceremonial clothes, finally the ties came loose and he pushed the leather down her legs. Rylee stepped out of them, but she was still in her undergarments. Chemise and pantalets covered her beautiful form. "Damn it Rylee, you are still wearing too many layers."

"Kettle versus pot Kili, you have more than I," She gasped as he tugged on her chemise and it followed the rest of her clothes to the floor. Kili looked upon his bride, her only covering was her hair of dark fiery embers, she was glorious. Her long silky hair curled around her body, waving around lush breasts, her rosy nipples peaking through the locks. His clever hands brushed through her hair, tracing over flesh, he explored her collarbones, her sternum. He pushed her heavy hair back, exposing her flesh to his hungry eyes, Rylee whimpered and moved to cover herself.

"No, my beauty, I have been dreaming of you since that night at the waterfalls. I have waited to see you like this, do not deny me." He caught her hands, turning them over before placing a kiss on each palm. He released them back to her sides, shaking his head slowly, his eyes drinking her in. She was finely muscled and it was no wonder, considering that she was a Weapon Smith and a Warrior. Her fine definition took nothing away from her lush curves. She wore only her pantalets, held up by a thin silk ribbon, he tugged it and then pushed them off of her hips. They pooled at her feet and she flinched reflexively, as though trying to keep herself from following the instinct to cover herself. Her hips were wonderfully rounded and he was pleased to see that she had a narrow vee of hair covering her apex, soft and curling. She truly did have the most wonderful legs, strong, muscular, and finely boned.

"You are perfectly stunning Rylee," Kili whispered as he stepped behind her. He drew her thick waves off of her back, taking in the three thick pale jagged white scars that marred her otherwise perfect flesh. They ran in a diagonal from her right shoulder to her left hip. Now that he knew how she got them he was even more thankful that she survived and that she was here before him. Then he noticed a faint black star at the base of her neck, it looked similar to a tattoo, but it went much deeper under her skin. He realized that this was where Ungoliant had bit her, leaving behind her poison. Kili kissed it and caressed her scars lovingly.

"No Kili-," Rylee gasped trying to twist away.

"They are a part of you Rylee," Kili said holding her in place as he kissed and worshiped them, "They are no less beautiful than the rest of you."

He worked his way down her back exploring her soft skin, the jagged white scars, and the hard muscle underneath. He kissed and tasted her flesh moving lower and lower, working his hands over her fine arse and down her muscular thighs. He brushed the ticklish flesh on the back of her knees and she jerked, making a strangled chuckle deep in her throat. He kissed and nuzzled her there and she danced away with a yelp, "Kili!"

He looked up at her and met her sparkling eyes, "You're not trying to run away from me are you?"

"I wouldn't have to if you would stop tickling me," she teased him, back a small grin played about her lips. Her hair was like a curtain swinging back to cover her, teasing him by covering most of her and showcasing her most feminine attributes. Kili offered his hand and she took a small step towards him.

He took her hand and drew her towards him, so he could trail kisses over her bare skin. Kili kissed, licked, and sucked at the flesh of her belly and hips, while stroking her thighs, bottom, and back, pulling her toward him. He stood slowly, hands moving over heated flesh, he brushed the underside of her breasts, reveling in the shivers that he could feel coming from her. Cupping her, he took one pale pink nipple in his mouth, swirled his tongue, and Rylee moaned in pleasure. He moved to the other and did the same, another soft moan was his reward. Kili stood straight looking down at her, her hands were clutching his shoulders, gripping his tunic, holding on tightly, her eyes were slightly unfocused. He pulled her close against him dropped quick gentle kisses, brushing across her face and neck before claiming her mouth. His hands lightly brushing and grazing her naked flesh, her back, her shoulders, and her fine bottom as he sought out her every reaction allowing him to find those places that brought her the most intense pleasure.

Then he pressed her back towards the bed, easing her down onto it. He broke the kiss and lifted her, centering her on the bed. "Stay there Rylee."

She watched as he pulled off his tunics, dropping them onto the floor with hers. Kili's body was more than she ever imagined, thick strong arms, wide shoulders. His well muscled chest was covered in a light mat of soft hair that tapered and thinned over his lightly defined abdomen. He untied his breaches and pushed them to the floor and stepped forward, showcasing his lean muscular hips and strong thighs and calves. Her eyes travelled back up to his erection, she knew he was big, considering the times she felt him through their clothes, but he was bigger than she imagined and had no idea how they would manage to fit together. Her eyes widened and breath caught as she met his gaze. Trepidation filled her when she saw the raw hunger within the dark chocolate depths and she started to move away.

"You will not escape me now my love." Kili whispered to her as he caught her ankle and pulled her back, then he lightly bit her lip as he moved over her, making her gasp. He trailed his fingers up and down her calf, caressing the hard muscles and fine bones of her ankles before pulling her legs to either side of his. He was hungry for her, he wanted her, and needed her in every way. He kissed her again and again, until she was breathless and her small hands were curled into his hair, holding him to her. He released her lips and looked down into hungry grey eyes that sparked with life and no small amount of lust.

Rylee began an exploration of her own. Finally after weeks of denial, pent up lust, and too many layers of clothing Kili was bared to her. She stroked her hands over his arms petting, caressing, and kneading the muscles that roped his limbs. She nuzzled into his shoulder and licked and bit his collarbones, tasting him, spurred on by his growl she kissed and nuzzled his neck and throat before trailing down over his hard wide chest. Her short fingernails scraped gently against his skin, as she explored him in his nakedness.

Her lips were following her hands. Rylee was kissing, licking, and nipping at him, tasting him as he had done to her earlier. With every touch he grew harder and his hunger grew. He could not lose control, he needed to make this good for her or she would fear him but her hands were like magic, making sparks across his flesh. It soon became too much for Kili, so he grabbed her hands and pressed them to her sides. When she tried to protest he caught her lips with his, kissing her into silence, pushing her back into the pillows on the large down mattress.

"Slowly Rylee, I want to take pleasure in you," he whispered as his hands and lips roamed over her. Kili touched her everywhere; kissing, caressing, nibbling, and petting. Everywhere his lips moved, his long dark hair would caress her sensitive skin and she would shiver in need and anticipation. She tried to keep her hands at her sides but she burned to touch him in return, to revel in the feel of his hard male body under her touch. His fingers and mouth moved over her arms and shoulders. His hands stroked lightly down her sides and over her ribs. Fire erupted, tingling over her flesh, curling in her loins, pulling strings through her body and she cried out with need. She could feel the moist heat of his breath as he laved her nipples with his tongue and nibbled with his teeth.

"You taste like honey and feel like silk," Kili breathed as his curious fingers ghosted over her belly, hips and thighs, he left not an inch of flesh untouched. Her hands rose of their own accord as she scratched her nails across the plains of his back and shoulder blades. Kili growled and he moved lower following the path of his hands to her hips and thighs.

"I can't stop myself, please Kili, please," Rylee rasped. Her fingers moved of their own accord as she continued to explore his back and shoulders, and the cords in his neck as he kissed her belly and traced her hips with his hands. She was quivering with need, moaning with desire. She could barely understand what he was doing to her, her mind could not fathom anything other than the heat of what his mouth and lips and hands were doing. His tongue trailed through the crevice between her hips and her thigh and she gasped at the contact. His hands ghosted over hips and over the mounds of her bottom as he lifted her to his kisses, still exploring the flesh along her inner thigh. She was writhing in the heat of her desire, the fire inside her coiling tighter and tighter as he touched her, even her feet warmed and her toes curled with the fire that burned within her. She needed something and Kili was holding it back, "Kili!"

"Yes, I know. I know my love, soon," He whispered, his teeth sank lightly into her thigh. His fingertips brushed lightly against her inner thigh and she felt a tremor pass through her. Without thought she arched her back, her legs falling open, her fingers clutching at the bedspread. He continued to caress her thighs, moving closer and closer to the apex between them. She felt his fingers brush into the soft silky folds between her legs and she gasped at the heightened intimacy, she quelled the instinct to pull away. Kili explored her with his fingers, teasing her, her hips jerked of their own accord as he found a pleasure center that she did not know existed. Liquid fire pooled within her as he stroked that singular spot again and she arched up against him. There was a jolt of pure sensation, pleasure that his touch gave her. His fingers brushed over the same spot again and her toes curled as heat spiraled up and out of it. "Have you never touched yourself like this Rylee?"

"N-no!" She gasped as he brushed his finger over her clit again. He watched the bewildered pleasure that washed over her features and he chuckled as she gasped, "What are you-, Oh!"

She cried out again as he pressed his middle finger into her core as his thumb brushed over her sensitive clit again and she moaned as he stroked inside her. She was wet for him, her moisture pooling within her as he teased her into readiness. The candle light flickered across her pale heated flesh. She was exquisite, passionate, lusty, she moved against his hand as he prepared her for him. Her moans and whimpers were driving him to madness.

"Do you like this?" He asked as he kissed her belly, still working his finger gently in and out of her tight core. She was becoming slick against his hand, he circled his thumb around her sensitive clit, added another finger and felt her muscles clench around him. She was so tight, he was afraid he would hurt her if he didn't prepare her properly. He worked the little bud that gave her such intense pleasure and again she pushed up against his hands. Still stroking in and out of her, his fingers sought the soft spongy area that would bring her to great heights of pleasure.

"Yes! Kili, yesss! Ah!" Rylee moaned her eyes closing at the intense sensation. He added a third finger and felt her pleasure give way to her first orgasm. Her eyes opened wide in shock, her hips bucked wildly against his hand, she keened in ecstasy. Moisture gathered around his fingers as he continued to stroke in and out of her. She was as ready as he could make her. He didn't wait for her to come down, he wanted her too much and she was ready now.

"Rylee, I am going to join with you now," he growled moving over her, she looked up at him with wide eyes. He could see the white sparks flashing in the deep grey depths of her irises. The fire, the passion within her, lit her eyes. "It might hurt at first but it will pass and I promise I will give you pleasure."

She reached for him, unafraid, her fingers stretching over his shoulders as she pulled him closer. He braced himself on his left forearm and positioned himself at her entrance and captured her lips with his own as he pushed his hard cock slowly into her. His right hand continued to caress her hip, belly, and moved to cup her breast, his thumb brushing over her nipple. The sensations he created in her were so intense that she was unsure what to concentrate on other than the warmth that was still building. She could feel the moisture that he created with his earlier attention and he slid in slowly, little by little stretching her. He released her lips and she met his eyes as he pulled out just a little to ease back in using her wetness to make it easier for her, repeating the action again and again. The initial discomfort changed as her body accommodated him and she felt him touch deep in places she never knew existed. She relaxed into him knowing he would never harm her and all that was left was a feeling of fullness as he waited for her, "Okay now?"

"Oh yes," she whispered and he chuckled softly. He pulled back out and she whimpered sweetly as she felt him go, he pumped back in and watched her face change from unsatisfied confusion to innocent amazement as he moved inside her. "Do that again!"

"Oh my Rylee, you are my joy," he whispered as he obliged her. She felt him inside her, filling her, pressing deeper before sliding most of the way back out. He pushed in again and a different heat began to build and she could not help but dig her fingers into his back, she bit into his shoulder.

He rocked in and out of her building this heat, higher and higher. Mindlessly her hands began to touch him, exploring him as he didn't allow her to before. She kissed his shoulders and chest, her fingers spread across his shoulders, back, and arms before moving between them. Her fingernails brushed over his chest and abdomen, scratching and scraping over his heated skin. She loved his strength and his breadth as he covered her, filling her completely. His breath grew more and more ragged as she explored him. His movements became more erratic, some deep and hard, others smooth and gentle. He moved to grab her hands away again, but she stopped him, "Kili, I want to know all of you. Please."

"I don't know if I can last that long Rylee," he gasped as he moved within her, "Your touch drives me wild."

He pushed deeper as her fingernails stroked against his hardened nipples and Kili growled at the sharp call of the sensitive nerves there. Rylee gasped at the sudden change in depth and pressure. She repeated the movement and he pushed deeper again, making her moan with him. Her hands stroked up over his chest, over his shoulders, and into his hair. "Do that again Kili."

"This?" he pushed deep again, gaining a low sigh of pleasure. Her curious fingers on his skin gave him intense satisfaction, but as they threaded through his hair the pleasure amplified. He kissed her, wanting to devour her, driving deeper and deeper, feeling her body respond to his. Pressure was building in his spine, he was getting closer and closer to the edge.

He rose, pulling his mouth from hers leaving them both gasping for breath. He pulled her legs up, putting them over his shoulders, slightly changing his angle of entry, giving him greater depth and ensuring he would stroke against her most sensitive spot. He reached between them drawing circles around her sensitive clit. She cried out as he struck that elusive place within her hard and fast again and again, driving her towards her release. He could feel her tightening against him as wave after wave rolled through her body.

"Kili!" she cried out, behind her eyes she felt herself break into a million stars, the pleasure so completely intense. She felt as though she was shattering apart as she found release in Kili's arms. Gripping her hips he continued on, thrust after thrust he drove into her until his own end.

"Rylee, my Rylee," He groaned as he followed her in ecstasy, finding his own release in her, filling her with his seed. He released her legs and rolled them together so that she was on top of him, with him still embedded deep within her heavenly depths.

She nuzzled into his chest and neck as her breathing returned to normal. "Is it always like this Kili?"

"No Rylee, this is only the beginning," Kili chuckled softly as he looked up at her. She looked like she was glowing. Her skin was glistening with a light sheen of sweat, her hair spilled wildly around them, tumultuous and tumbled. He pulled her hair away from her face, pulling it down her back. Combing through her lush tresses with his fingers, finding and releasing the snarls, he heard her groan softly. "Does this hurt you Rylee?"

"No, when you touch my hair it sets me on fire, warms me on the inside," Rylee whispered softly, her fingers began to trace over his chest. She was finding the small scars from past fights and brawls and near escapes with Orcs and bandits. Every one she found, she traced as though memorizing it and then she kissed it. It was not long before he began to grow hard within her under the ministrations of her fingers and her lips on his upper body.

Then she did something he did not expect. She leaned forward and licked his nipple, his breath caught at the sensitivity. When her fingernails scratched against him earlier he reacted with hard lust and this time it was no different, moaning as her lips covered it and she sucked gently at his flesh. When he didn't stop her, she repeated the movement before moving to the other side, licking and sucking until both of his nipples were hard from her ministrations. He growled at the rising lust that made his blood quicken, his heart hammer in his chest and thickened his cock still embedded deep within her. Rylee released him and slowly sat up, straddling him, and as she did her hair tumbled around her. It curled and clung to every place he wanted to touch her. With every movement she made, he grew some more and her eyes widened as she felt him stretch her when he suddenly moved underneath her. She gasped in startled pleasure, "Oh!"

He thrust up into her again, watching the pleasure as it washed across her face, flushing her cheeks with rosy color. He helped her set a steady rhythm as she arched back and rode him. Then he traced the lines that her hair was making on her dew moistened flesh, stimulating both her skin and brushing her hair. Now that he knew how much hair combing effected her, he planned to touch it every chance he could get.

Her lips were parted and she was breathing heavy with desire and exertion, her head was tilted back just enough to display her pale throat and the soft lobes of her ears. He thrust against her again, breaking her rhythm and making her moan. She bit her lip as her eyes closed in time with the sensation. Rylee arched back her hands gripping his thighs to steady her as she continued to ride him. She was so open for him, her head tilted back, her back arched, her beautiful bounty of breasts were tilted up, her hardened nipples peaking seductively through her thick dark hair. He brushed his knuckles against the turgid tips and she moaned softly. Arched back as she was, even her moist center was on display for him. Her jewel, that tempting bud, begged to be touched. "So alluring, Rylee, you are the most amazing Dwarrowdam I have ever met."

Her eyes flew open as she felt him touch that sensitized place between her legs, her entire body tightened at that touch, the pleasure intensified as he kept stroking and swirling his thumb against her. Her fingernails dug into the hard muscle of his thighs as she tried in vain to keep the pace he set her on. She was new to this and didn't want to disappoint him. She met his eyes and some worry must have been written there, for he whispered, "Keep going Rylee, just feel it. Do what feels good."

"But I want to please you," She whispered huskily. She was watching him intently, as though trying to convey all of her desires.

"You do please me, Amrâlimê," Kili whispered back. How could she not know how amazing it was to watch her, to feel her? Her eyes, though open, were unfocused, like the day on the pier. Her lust was written there in every line of her body as she moved above him, riding him to slow torture. He was trying to hold back, to give her time to adjust to these new activities. He wanted their married life to be enjoyable, their sex life to be more than just satisfying. "This is new for you, as long as we tell each other what feels good, we will please each other."

She did as he requested of her, rolling her hips against his, finding her rhythm again until she faltered. He sat up and gripped her hips driving her against him, before lifting her and driving her down again making her cry out his name. His mouth laved her nipples making them tighten almost painfully. She moaned and arched back more, offering him everything. He lifted her and moved with her, rolling them together and pressing her on her back into the mattress, then driving deep within her again. The heat spiraled though her, coiling tighter and tighter in her core, making her toes curl with the intensity. She gripped the spread as she clung to the feelings of pleasure he was giving her. She didn't know what to do with her limbs, she felt like she was everywhere like an ungainly colt. So she followed her instincts and wrapped her legs around his muscular hips, like he had her do in the forest, her feet locking him in place.

Kili reveled at the close contact and he plunged deeper and deeper into her hot moist depths. Her arms wound around him, pulling him closer, pressing her flesh against his own. She lifted herself so she could press kisses and lick and nip at his neck and shoulders. Her fingernails scratched at his shoulders and back as he thrust hard into her, the mix of pleasure and pain pushing him onward. He was so close once again and she was insatiable. He vowed he would take advantage of that over the next few days since they didn't need to be anywhere but together. He pinned her arms above her head and kissed her hard on the lips, his tongue plundering her mouth, taking everything she could give him. He released her lips breathing hard, lifting himself away from her, moving one hand to grasp her hip and the other to stroke his thumb against her clitoris. She cried out and started to thrash, her hands gripping the bedspread beneath her. He could feel her getting closer, her breaths were coming faster, she moaned against him and she started begging him for release, "Please Kili, please! Help me-!"

"Let go Rylee, just let go and come for me," Kili commanded her as he drove deep the way she liked before. She shivered at the sound of his voice and her entire body reacted to his command. He thrust into her again and again as her inner walls pulsed around him, her orgasm shaking her to her very core.

"Kili!" She cried out as she came and he let go of his control, pounding as deep as he could over and over again before releasing his seed deep within her. Kili remained seated within her for a long moment as they both caught their breath. Finally he pulled out of her, knowing that if he didn't this time, he would certainly cause her pain later. He pulled her against him and wrapped her up in the warmth of the bedspread. He kissed her temple, and ran his fingers from her forehead to her jaw then down her neck and shoulder, raining a trail of kisses along the way. "I love you, Rylee. You have made me the happiest Dwarf in all seven kingdoms. Mahal blessed me when he made you."

"Hmm, I love you Kili," Rylee whispered, pressing closer against him, "My Kili, My One."


	27. Adventures in Exploration

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, any of Tolkien's works or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either. I own only my OC's and that which I have created.**

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Chapter 27

Adventures in Exploration

June 12

He felt her moving erratically beside him, her breaths came in gasps, she was feverish, her skin so hot. Kili reached for her as she started sobbing and kicking. He heard her whimper and he pressed his hand against her back. She shrieked and lashed out, "No! Not Kili! Please! Anything, I'll do anything!"

"Rylee!" Kili woke fully and looked at Rylee in the light of dawn. Tears streamed down her face, and she continued to thrash in the throes of her dreams. He hauled her against him and held her tight, she tried to fight at first until he started to rub her back, whispering, "I have you. I am here Rylee. I am not leaving you. I swear it Amrâlimê."

Sobs caught in her throat and Rylee whimpered and thrashed some more, still caught in her dreams. She struggled against him, gasping in what he could only describe as terror, "No! Thorin! Fili! Please no! You can't die! No!"

"Mahal!" Kili gasped as he realized that she was seeing their deaths. It hit him then exactly what she was trying to stop, what tormented her every night. She told Thorin that the dreams would only get worse. They were, they were so much worse than when they were on the trail. He held her tighter, rubbing gentle circles into her scorching back. Still she struggled against him as he whispered urgently, "Rylee, listen to me, we will stop it, we will find a way. Lukhdel, wake up."

"Kili!" She screamed as she woke, her eyes wide still seeing Kili sliced open by a massive Orc as he tried to get back to her. She felt him holding her, his hands rubbing gentle circles on her back, she curled around him, tucking her head under his chin. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!"

"Rylee, you have nothing to be sorry about." Kili whispered softly, she was shaking like a leaf. He kissed the top of her head, holding her as tightly as he could.

"I couldn't save you, everyone dies every time Kili." Rylee sobbed softly, she needed to be closer to him. Her arms wrapped around him clutching him tight against her. "I can't lose you like that. I – I need you. I can't lose you like that."

"You will not lose me Rylee." Kili promised her. He leaned away and tilted her face up so he could kiss her just below the diadem that sat on her forehead. Then he pulled Rylee's hair away from her face so he could look in her eyes, they were red from her tears, making the grey deep and dark and the white sparks seem dim. "I swear to you Rylee, you will not lose me. We will both fulfill all of our promises. We will reach the mountain, kill the dragon, and no one will die. We will have a home, a hearth, a family. You will meet my mother."

"I love you Kili. I don't ever want to live without you," Rylee said meeting his chocolate eyes. Like always she fell in, swept away by him, her heart slowed and her breaths calmed. He was everything to her.

"You won't have to Amrâlimê," Kili whispered gently before he kissed her. "Go back to sleep, I will be here."

She settled back against him and closed her eyes, but sleep would not come for her. She could feel the moment that Kili dropped back into deep sleep, his breathing slowed and became even, every muscle seemed to relax around her. His arms were heavy as he held her in his sleep. Rylee wished that she could do as he asked, that she could just fall back into sleep, but the images she saw would not allow her to relax. She tried to breathe deeply and will herself to unwind but the tension was too much. There was a headache building behind her eyes and deep in the back of her mind. The only thing that would relieve such a headache would be a hot bath. Torn between staying curled up next to Kili and climbing into the massive bath with the soothing scents of Yavanna's special oils, Rylee deliberated for a long while. Both relaxed her, but she was beside Kili and the headache was getting worse, it would have to be a bath.

She eased silently out of Kili's embrace and sat on the edge of the bed, massaging her head, temples, and neck trying to force the headache away, but it was impossible. Nothing she did seemed to help and she knew her only resort was a bath, so she made her way to the large bathroom. Lighting only one candle before filling the massive tub with steaming water, Rylee moved to gather a few towels, washcloths, and her favorite oils and soaps. Even though Rohinna always offered her the fine Elvish soaps made by the villagers, Rylee always used what Yavanna gave her. She poured a small amount of oil into the water, it was not scented but Rylee could already feel the relaxing effect of the contents. Though the heat didn't affect her like most people, the water was always kept at a temperature that would keep Rohinna from becoming scalded if she needed to reach into the water.

While the massive tub filled, Rylee went to the privy and relieved herself, then returned to turn off the water. She climbed into the deep tub and let herself go under. When she resurfaced, she moved to the edge and grabbed her bar of soap and a wash cloth. Scrubbing the soap into the cloth she lathered it up before she went to work scrubbing her flesh. She closed her eyes against the low light and tried to relax, she didn't see Kili watching hungrily from the doorway.

There was once a time when he knew that he would have slept through a maid leaving his bed, not bothered by the lass making a swift exit, it was to be expected. Rylee was different, he woke the moment he felt the warmth of her body leave him in his sleep. He felt it as the bed grew cold in her absence, her warmth was comforting and the moment she moved away, he knew. She sat at the bed rubbing at her temples and her forehead, rolling her neck to relieve tension. A small whimper escaped her and he knew that she was in some sort of pain. He heard her start to fill the bath tub and use the facilities.

He rose from the bed and followed her silently, only a single candle flickered in the washroom giving just enough light to be reflected by the blue stones that tiled the room. It looked like it was lit by crystals. He watched as she gathered towels enough for both of them, oils, soaps, and lotions were placed at the edge of the deep tub. His eyes followed her as she took care of her needs and then slipped silently under the water, without even a single splash. The temptation to join her immediately was intense, but she seemed almost in a trance and he didn't want to startle her.

When she lathered the cloth and started to move it across her flesh he felt himself grow hard. Her head was tilted back, her eyes were closed as she moved the cloth over her flesh. Kili wanted to be the washcloth as it moved from her shoulder, over her lush breast and underneath before it circled back up again. He stepped into the room and made his way to the bath tub. She brought the cloth up to her throat then moved to retrace the previous path and his hand caught hers. She gasped in surprise, her eyes snapping up to meet his before a smile lifted her lips, "I am sorry Kili. I did not mean to wake you."

"I knew the moment you left," Kili whispered in return, "I may never be able to sleep without you by my side again."

"Will you join me Kili?" Rylee asked him softly, she moved forward in the deep basin so he could slide in behind her.

Kili did not hesitate to take her up on her offer and climbed in, the bath was big enough for both of them with a little extra room to maneuver. He unclipped the large Red Mithril clasp and pulled all of Rylee's hair back. Looking at each of the bottles beside the tub, he chose the one that was labeled soap, and put a small amount in his hand before lathering it into her long dark hair. She moaned softly as he worked the soap through from the ends up to the roots and into her scalp. Massaging away the tension as he washed her hair, he listened to her sighs of relief and moans of pleasure. It was such a simple act between lovers and yet Rylee seemed to take so much joy from it. He leaned her back and rinsed away the soap, combing his fingers through her hair and the many braids and beads. When he was satisfied that all the knots were gone, Kili braided her hair into one long plait, his marriage braids were always visible, he made certain of it. Finally he placed her clip into the end of her hair and pulled it over her shoulder.

Rylee's head hung forward, her eyes closed and her body relaxed. She held the cloth loosely in her grip, having forgotten about it as Kili worked through her hair. When she felt the thick braid fall over her shoulder she sat up startled and was about to set herself back to work washing herself when Kili plucked the cloth from Rylee's hands and set to work rubbing small even circles over her back. She groaned in approval. She didn't realize how tense she was until Kili's strong hands began working away the tension. When he reached the waterline he lifted her onto his lap and gently pressed her forward so he could continue down her lower back. When he pulled her back against him, he lathered more soap into the cloth and stoked the sudsy fabric over each shoulder, from collarbone to collarbone and then lower across her chest.

He purposely left her breasts and continued over her arms, down her sides and over her torso until again he reached the waterline. Tapping her left hip he indicated that he wanted her to lift it and she did without question or argument. He moved to scrub it down, but her torso was in the way so Rylee pulled the cloth from him and set to work, keeping her leg in the air while she washed from her toes and ankle, to her knee and finally her pale muscular thigh. Kili let his hands slide over her breasts as she worked, finally she lowered her left leg into the water and moved to the right, repeating the process. Still Kili massaged her breasts, using the bar of soap to lather them, with his hands. Rylee leaned back against him and sighed, letting him do as he wished.

He put the soap back onto the edge of the tub and pulled her tighter against him, letting his erection sit hard against her bottom and lower back as he began to massage her buttocks and inner thighs. Stroking closer and closer to her groin, his fingers finally combed gently through the hair and swept lightly over her clitoris as he held her tight in his arms. She gasped and arched against him as he curled his finger and plunged it into her core. His other hand was firm on her hip as he worked at building her towards an orgasm. His thumb deftly stroked her clit as his finger stroked in and out of her.

He kissed and nuzzled at her neck as he moved the hand from her hip to her breasts, palming them gently before rubbing and plucking at her nipples. She was beyond comprehension of the power Kili had over her body, with a few simple touches he had her burning for him, heat coiling through her belly and filling her limbs, until her palms and feet were curling with the intensity of his ministrations. Every move he made was building her towards an increasingly familiar peak, all she had to do was let him drive her towards it. So she did. She willingly let him lead her tortuously towards release only for him to suddenly stop. Rylee cried out in anguish, she was so close.

"Your turn to wash me Rylee," Kili chuckled and pressed her up until she was straddling him. She turned in his lap, her sexual frustration was written in every line of her body.

"That was cruelty Kili," Rylee admonished him softly taking the cloth from the edge of the tub. She sat at the far end and grabbed his foot, roughly pulling it up and out of the water. A cheeky grin lifted her lips alerting him that he was going to pay for his actions.

The night before, Kili was able to take his time to learn her body and all of her most sensitive and sensually reactive areas, Rylee was not given that chance. This was her moment to explore him and she was not fool enough to let it pass by. She started with his toes, washing them one by one, then the pads of his feet. His feet were bigger than hers, both wider and longer, his toes more rounded where hers were long and thin. She massaged them as she went. One foot at a time before she moved up his legs, the left first, then the right she worked the cloth up his ankles and calves.

She was being deliberately slow, taking her sweet time as she washed him and massaged his muscles as she went. When she met his hips she didn't skirt him like he did her, she boldly washed every dip, every crease. From his fine arse to the tip of his growing erection she washed every bit of him, slowly, carefully, and deliberately. He grew hard under her ministrations and when he moved to reach for her, Rylee pushed him back, straddling his hips and holding him in place. Then she reloaded the cloth with more soap and washed his abdomen and chest. Running her fingers through the fine hair that furred him, pinching his nipples lightly as she passed, stroking the cloth over them several times before moving up to his shoulders and arms. Pulling him forward against her, she scrubbed his back, but every time he tried to wrap his arms around her, she removed his hands and placed them on the edge of the tub.

"Close your eyes Kili," Rylee whispered softly, a soft smile playing about her lips. He met her eyes and found the bright white sparkling against the stormy grey. Kili did as she asked and relaxed as she cleaned his neck and ears while she straddled him, he could feel her warmth over his erection as she moved, every motion she made was sweet torture. Then she had him arch his back so she could wash and rinse his hair. Her fine fingers scraped across his scalp, as she massaged away the tension and cleaned his hair, combing her fingers through until it sat smooth over his shoulders.

Rylee looked down at him, sitting underneath her in the tub, at her mercy, his hands on the edge where she told him to keep them. He was leaned back and relaxed, yet she could still feel some tension in him, as though he was a wild cat, ready to strike for its prey at any time. She leaned forward and kissed the underside of his jaw making him growl. She stroked her fingers through the shorn hair, seeing that it was already growing thickly from where he preferred to keep it, he would need to trim it again soon. She moved along his jaw, kissing and nuzzling while her fingers stroked lower over his clavicles and the thick muscles of his shoulders. Her mouth reached his earlobe, where she nibbled softly with her lips before scraping with her teeth, he moaned out her name. Her hands were following the length of his arms, testing and teasing the ropes of muscle that lay underneath.

It took all of his patience and will to keep himself from locking his arms around her, lifting her and impaling her on his hard shaft. There was nothing he wanted more than to be inside her. Yet she was learning him, exploring him and testing him to see what he liked. He liked everything that she was doing. From her hands stroking over his fingers and back up over his arms, to her smart little mouth that was making a slow sensual journey down his throat, her tongue tasting him along the way. She was his muse, yet she played him like a fine tuned instrument.

"Kili?" Rylee whispered softly as she rose against him and framed his face with her hands.

She was dropping small kisses over his face when he responded with a low, "Mmmhmm?"

"I think we are clean now," She smiled and dropped more kisses across his eyes, nose, and finally his mouth. Soft sweet chaste kisses, "The water is growing cold and I will not have you becoming sick on our honeymoon days."

"You will not have me sick? Hmm, then we should get dry and warm." Kili opened his eyes and started to rise from the tub, wrapping his arms around her and lifting her with him. He carried her from the tub and set her on the thin towel that was on the floor. Reaching for the stack of towels he pulled one and wrapped it around her. He completely ignored the water running off of him in streams as he cared for his lovely wife. Even after she was long dry, he used the towel to continue caressing her.

"Kili, you are dripping wet and I am already warm," Rylee laughed as he stroked the towel up her legs for the fifth time. She stole the towel from his hands and turned it on him, starting at his head and working her way down. She ran the towel over his wide shoulders, licking at the indents and nipping at the bones and protrusions of hard muscle, enjoying the way he reacted to both. Moving down she did the same to his chest and abs before circling and giving equal treatment to his back.

Kili groaned when he felt her tongue dip into the long hollow of his spine and trail ever downwards until she was running the towel over his buttocks. She kissed the top of each cheek and Kili blushed when she whispered, "you have dimples here Kili."

She continued her task, drying off the back side of his legs before moving back around to the front. She was on her knees before him and the sight of her there nearly drove him out of his mind with lust. She leaned over just enough that he had a perfect view of her back and her wonderful round bottom as she dried the front of his legs, moving ever so slowly upwards. The view was tantalizing. Suddenly she was drying his sac, her touch was tentative, it was so good, and her gentle touch was driving him to madness. When she continued up along his shaft, kissing the tip and licking timidly, her top teeth just barely grazed him. He was so hard, so sensitive that even that small sensual act was too much. He hollered in near agony, "Mahal!"

Rylee dropped the towel and scrambled back, her eyes huge, filling with tears. "What did I do wrong?"

"Oh no! Oh no you don't," Kili growled as he snagged her wrist and hauled her back to where she was, "Do you have any idea what you were just doing? Do you have any idea how many times I have dreamed of you doing just that? Feeling your mouth and your tongue there?"

"So, I didn't do anything wrong," Rylee whispered looking up at him with worry.

"No love, do it again," Kili nearly begged her, "Just be careful with your teeth."

Her hands were nearly shaking as she moved to touch him again. He was dry now, there was no need for the towel anymore. She stroked him gently, and was surprised at the almost velvety silk of his shaft and head. He jerked in her hand and she was surprised when his erection seemed to move of its own accord. Kili wrapped his hand around hers and wordlessly showed her how to stroke him, then when he moved his hand away she stroked him up and down. She watched his face as she tightened and loosened her grip on him, her only desire was to please him, and considering that he was still standing proudly before her, a small satisfied smile on his face, she must be doing something right.

She leaned forward again and licked the velvet head over the small teardrop opening, just as a bead of moisture collected there. She tasted him on her tongue and decided that it was an interesting taste, then she swirled her tongue around him as she had done on his nipples. He groaned and his hands wove into her hair. She yelped as he tugged hard on the tight braid he had woven there and Kili swore before he unraveled it until her hair fell around her in damp waves. "Don't stop yet Rylee, please."

She did as he asked and continued to explore him, stroking him and licking him, swirling her tongue and finally she drew him into her mouth. The guttural moan that action elicited made her hum in question but his hips snapped forward and he went further into her mouth drawing out an even deeper moan from him. Rylee drew back and repeated his motion for herself, earning another moan and a sigh of approval. "Just like that Rylee, it feels so good."

Her mouth on him was heaven and seeing her kneeling there, trying to please him was likely the biggest turn on he could remember. He was not lying when he said that he dreamed of her licking, kissing, and stroking him, and for her to do it without him suggesting it was something he never considered. He watched her just as she watched him, their eyes met several times, and Kili thought her to be the most exquisite creature he ever met. Watching her stroke him and pull him into her mouth made him harder. He wanted her something fierce, he could feel the heat and the tension building in his spine, and he knew that if he didn't pull away he would come in her throat. He didn't want to do that just yet.

It wasn't long before he pulled away from her and dropped to his knees in front of her, they were once again face to face, and he reached for her while simultaneously pressing her back onto the stone floor. Kissing her lips, Kili started to caress her, paying attention to the dip in her collarbones where her flesh was sensitive, the under curve of her breasts which were equally as receptive as her nipples. He tested her reaction to the scrape of his beard in all of her most amenable areas such as her notoriously ticklish sides, where he could elicit a moan if he deepened the pressure and scraped his fingernails, and the pale skin of her inner thigh that welcomed his touch. She seemed to enjoy the scrape of his short beard there as much as his fingers, if he went by the way she was arching into his touch and the pink flush that made her breasts rosy.

Finally he made his way to the soft mound of hair that hid her most valuable treasure. Kili dipped his nose into the soft fur and laved her with his tongue, when she jerked in surprise and tried to close her legs, he pressed her back. She was only following her natural instincts, being unused to such an intimate touch. He licked her again, seeking her hidden pearl and when he found it he curled his tongue around it and over it. Sucking gently as Rylee moaned in response, he heard the slap of her palm and the scrape of her nails on the cold stone floor as he moved down and dipped his tongue into her, tasting her for the first time. Sweet and salty, she was divine, he stroked in again with his tongue and Rylee growled low in her throat. He repeated his motion again and again until she was writhing beneath him pleading for more and chanting his name, "Please Kili, please. Kili! My Kili please!"

He knew he could make her come, but he wanted to feel her again, he wanted to be inside her, and feel her as she broke apart around him. He moved over her, ghosting his hands up her small frame until he hovered over her. Kili took her sweet mouth with his own, his tongue meeting hers in an age old dance, letting her taste herself on him. She moaned into his mouth and wrapped her arms over his shoulders and her fingers wound into his hair pulling him closer.

Kili pulled away and looked down at her, taking her in, "Mahal, the things you do to me woman."

"Stop saying Mahal, Kili," Rylee whispered in admonishment. She could feel him against her, holding himself back just at her entrance, she bucked her hips with her desire filling her. "Don't say any of their names. The Valar don't need to have anything to do with this."

"Hmm, I am going to have to get creative when talking to you during sex," Kili chuckled softly against her ear and finally gave in to her unspoken demands. He pressed in to her hot, wet core and it was not long before they were both screaming out in the throes of their release.

* * *

Jovina spent the first part of her morning in the Healing Halls for treatment on several wounds that she received during her journey. On her expedition from Khazad-Dum she encountered a small Orc pack riding their Wargs. They were on her like a hound after a fox. She did her best and fought them back but one of the Wargs was able to get a hold of her, clamping its thick jaws around her middle and shaking her like limp cloth. The Elven war horns were the next thing she heard as a pair of dark haired avenging angels took down the beast. Elladan and Elrohir were brutal warriors, so fierce and serious in their task of keeping Rivendell safe from the evil of Orcs and Wargs. The moment they realized that she was fighting off a small pack of the vile beasts, they were at her side defending her against them. The twins carried her to their camp where Glorfindel did an emergency healing spell to help her recover quicker. The deep Warg bites on her hip and thigh were healing, albeit slowly.

Once done in the healing halls Jovina enjoyed a quiet breakfast on the terrace thinking back on the past couple of days. She wondered why Rylee called for her when she saw Lerain in the Healing Halls. She wondered why Rylee didn't call for Rohinna as she had when Jovina was taken into the Healing Halls of Menegroth. Rohinna had experience dealing with people who were badly traumatized, Jovina did not. Rylee may have found Jovina and may have given her a reason to go on, but it was Rohinna who helped her through it. She helped Jovina find her purpose and helped her face her fears, so she knew what Lerain would need to go through to survive the darkness. So why would Rylee call for her first when Rohinna was better equipped to deal with the young Elleth?

Her mind turned inwards and into the past, only ten years in Jovina's mind, the atrocities of the First Age were still very fresh for Jovina. Jovina didn't know what torments lived in Rohinna's memories but she would have had Ages to deal with them. Perhaps that was why Rylee called for her rather than Rohinna, for Jovina it would be a recent tragedy that she had to deal with, her memories were still fresh. Rylee somehow knew that Rohinna would know how to save Jovina's life, which told Jovina that Rohinna had been badly traumatized once, though she didn't know how. It was a rare thing to come out of the First Age unscathed, nearly everyone Jovina ever knew had some sort of tale of darkness, of some sort of horrible deed or atrocity that happened to them.

"May I join you Jovina?" Rohinna's voice came from beside her, it was quiet and reserved.

"I would be honored to have you join me," Jovina smiled up at the beautiful dark haired Elf Maiden. "How is Lerain this morning?"

"She was still sleeping when I left this morning, so I do not know." Rohinna took a seat across from her and prepared her hot cereal and a large bowl of fresh fruit. Jovina continued to push a roasted potato around her plate, her mind flitting back to Rylee and why she would have called to her and not Rohinna.

"She loves you like a mother, that is why she asked for you and not for me," Rohinna answered her. Jovina met her eyes and realized that she must have spoken out loud. "When a child needs help they call for their parents, Yavanna is not here, but you are. You are the Mother of Middle-Earth that Eru told her to find or have you forgotten?"

"I don't feel that I should be the one to help Lerain though, our situations might be similar but for me, the pain is still raw." Jovina whispered in response. "I don't even know if I can help guide her out of the darkness that pulls on her now."

"If there is anyone who can help Lerain it is you Jovina, Rylee was right to call for you and I will tell you why. You remember your trials, you were brutalized in the same fashion that Lerain was, while I was not. My torture was both mental and physical, it was not sexual. You searched her mind when you talked to her yesterday," Rohinna said softly. Jovina merely nodded and Rohinna prodded, "And what did you find?"

"She refused to talk to me, but I could see what path she is on. The darkness grows in her, even though she says she will fight it, the darkness is winning," Jovina said, her voice was almost cold. "Lerain wants to run, she thinks she is unworthy of love, and she thinks that she is better off dead and gone. Only Daeron's proposal lightened her a little, it gave her hope, but for how long? You know how these things work. There will be days and weeks of darkness when she will feel lost and completely alone, the good in her life will seem so small in comparison to the darkness. She will push everyone away and she will lash out at someone dear to her. How am I supposed to help the Elleth if she is already giving up on herself and her One? How am I supposed to give hope to a situation when she has already chosen the darker path?"

"But there was another path, you saw a choice," Rohinna pressed for more information.

"It was faint, it was there, but it was faint," Jovina shook her head, her brow furrowed in frustration. "This other path is better but I could not see what might motivate her to choose it."

"We will help her," the sage voice of Rohinna flowed around Jovina, her voice was so soft and soothing. "I tried to help Celebrian, as I helped you, but she did as you said, she lashed out, pushed everyone away and allowed herself to fall into deep anguished darkness. It took weeks to convince her that she was still worthy of love, that the Valar had not forsaken her. It was that which she latched onto. I blame myself for her departure to Valinor, if I had not mentioned the Valar she may have stayed."

"Do not blame yourself for that Rohinna," Galadriel said softly as she took a seat beside Jovina, setting her cereal in front of her. "I too said that she was still loved and that the Valar loved her regardless of what the Orcs did to her. I may never know why she felt she had to leave, why she could not stay with Elrond and her children, but I do know enough not to blame myself for her choice. If I am to blame anyone it will be Morgoth for the darkness in the world and the Orcs who tortured her."

"Rylee will find those answers for you, she made a promise. If there is anything that Rylee does well it is keeping promises and secrets," Jovina smiled at the other two Maidens at the table. Rylee knew of Jovina's beginnings and the reason why she was living alone on the outskirts of Doriath rather than in the mines with her kin.

"That she does," Galadriel smiled brightly, "She guards several of my secrets, she has never told a soul."

"And mine," Rohinna said sadly. Not even Lady Galadriel knew about Rohinna's tragic past, Rylee guarded the secret even from her. Rohinna was once a Teleri Elf with a voice made for song. Now she was a maid who would never sing again because of the horrors that she lived through.

Rohinna was a survivor of the Kinslaying of Alqualondë, her entire family was killed while she lay hidden in the floorboards of one of the ships sailing to Middle-Earth. When she reached the mainland she fled to the woods, running from those she thought were evil beyond measure. It was while she was running from the sons of Fëanor that she was captured by men tainted by the evil of Morgoth. She was only a small child, but the taint of Morgoth drove the men to torture her in many ways, taking her with them on the trail as their pet. They called her their puppy, their dog and promised her that when she was older they would make her their bitch.

It was along the road north heading towards Angband that they came near the realm of Doriath and Thingol, King of that land, came across the pitiful Elven child, collared and roped to the back of a horse. Thingol rescued her taking her home to his wife, Melian, they raised her and gave her sanctuary. Melian helped her to survive and Rylee helped her find her purpose. She never would have told Rylee about what happened but the girl had come upon Rohinna hastily toweling herself off in the public baths. She saw the burn and whip scars that lined and spotted her body and Rohinna froze. Rylee didn't say a word. She just disrobed and stepped into the massive hot pool, pulling her hair out of the way allowing Rohinna to see the massive slashes that crossed her back. Later that night when Rohinna stoked the fire in Rylee's room she poured out the story to the Daughter of Aulë. Rylee held her as she cried and told Rohinna that she was so powerful and strong, that she was blessed to know someone as remarkable as Rohinna.

"Does anyone know her secret?" Galadriel asked thoughtfully. Rylee was willing to tell stories of her quests and of her life in Aman, but she refused to tell anyone how she estranged the Valar. They each looked at each other and shook their heads.

"All I know is that it was a Werewolf that gave her the scars," Rohinna admitted softly. The other two nodded, they both knew the same thing, and Rylee never said anything more on the matter.

"I am certain that Thorin would know at least in part, since he helped to raise her," Jovina said thoughtfully, "But his mind is like a steel trap, I could barely read anything in him beyond his many paths. He is capable of both great light and great darkness."

"I have seen that in him as well," Galadriel said softly. They fell silent and finished eating their morning meal. Each of them were lost in their own thoughts and memories. Jovina finally finished eating her potatoes just as the other two finished their cereal and fruit.

When they were done they all rose and Rohinna led the way to Lerain's family home. They lived lower in the valley where the waterfalls all started to gather together, widening and deepening the river. There was one bridge over the lowest section of the river, long and narrow it connected several small islets across the village. There was one section that was lower than the others and with the large amount of water pouring through, the whole section was damp. There were no banisters or railings of any kind, since the Elves in the village were well aware of the dangers.

"The river is high this year," Galadriel murmured looking down at the wet stone. Jovina could see where the water was eating away at the riverbank and the grass and berry bushes that lined it.

"You are right," Rohinna agreed looking at the same signs as the Lady of Lothlórien. "I have not seen the river this high in over three hundred years, this path never becomes damp."

There was a sudden keening shriek nearby making Jovina jump and planted her feet, she slid on the slick stone barely catching herself in a low stance. It sounded like an animal in great pain before source of the noise made itself clear. There was a high screech and a squealing giggle that came from a nearby yard where a pair of young girls was playing together, one with red hair, the other had black hair, both of them looked around eight in human years. Rohinna looked at Jovina thoughtfully and then at Galadriel. "I think I just figured out how Lerain fell into the river."

"Hearing a sudden noise like that at dusk would scare most people, it certainly terrified me," Jovina conceded her as she looked around, and then back at the children playing together. "Lerain is still quite young from what I understand. She would not hear the difference between a prey animal and the playful shriek of a child. She has likely never gone hunting, not if she has been training to be a musician."

"Lerain is Ninety-Five, her father is also a musician and her mother is a seamstress. She just celebrated her birthday a few weeks ago." Rohinna said with a small smile, remembering the small celebration that Lord Elrond held for her after dinner at the Homely House.

"With the river flowing this deep and fast, she is lucky that she didn't drown," Jovina observed quietly. The water was rushing beneath their feet, slapping the stone footings of the bridge.

When Jovina talked to the girl the day before, Lerain had refused to speak of the incident. There were too many people nearby and the look of discomfort on her face was agony to see. Jovina knew that she wouldn't get much, if anything, out of Lerain with so many people around. There was just too much distraction and so many unknowns. It was more important to get Lerain into a place where she felt safe. That meant getting her home and into the embrace of her family. Most of Jovina's morning and afternoon the day before was spent ensuring that the girl felt comfortable in her own skin, much less comfortable in her own home. Jovina was surprised when Lerain showed up at the wedding, though seeing her with Daeron, she understood why. The tall dark and handsome Captain of the Guard was protective of her. There was no way anyone was going to get close enough to her to do her harm.

They continued on down the path towards the house and Rohinna rapped on the door before she walked in. Lerain's mother and father were both there, wearing identical worried expressions. They looked at Rohinna whom they trusted and at Lady Galadriel who was wise beyond words, "She is refusing to leave her bed. Is this normal?"

"Perfectly normal," Jovina was the one who responded, "'Tis the only place she feels safe."

Lerain was curled into her bed, her blankets wrapped around her, her back pressed against the wall. Jovina stood at the foot of the bed and regarded the girl for a long moment, then ordered, "Get up, out of bed. We are going to find Elihara, who is going to teach you to use a weapon."

"Why? Why would I want to learn to use a weapon?" Lerain glared at Jovina and turned over to look at the wall.

"So you can hit something, take your anger out on something that isn't yourself." Jovina told her.

Lerain scoffed and pulled the blankets over her head, "I am not angry."

"Right, because that sounded like your normal, pleasant, and happy self," Rohinna snorted softly. She knew the girl, worked with her in the main house for several years, Lerain was almost always in an upbeat mood, and it was hard to get her down. Lerain was hurting, deeply hurting.

"Learning to wield a weapon and being amongst friends will help you feel safe again," Jovina said sitting on the bed, she didn't touch the girl, she just sat there and waited. "If you know how to defend yourself you will be better able to cope with what happened. Each of us has been through a trauma in the past, it may not have been the same as yours but we all dealt with it in the same way. You promised Rylee that you would fight the darkness, this is the first step."

"It is no use, I relive it every time I close my eyes, I had to sleep with a candle lit last night. I have not done that since I was a child." Lerain said, her voice was melancholic, she sounded quite distraught.

"Perhaps if you talked about it?" Rohinna asked her softly sitting at the foot of the bed. "You could tell us in your own words what happened, it might help to get it out of your head."

"No," Lerain said into her pillow, "Just go away and leave me alone. I will deal with it on my own and in my own way."

"No," Jovina said shortly, "I looked into your soul yesterday. You have no desire to fight the darkness. In which case you may as well walk right up to the nearest Orc encampment and give yourself over to them, because that is where your path will lead you if you stay on it."

"Jovina!" Rohinna gasped in horror, "You shouldn't tell her that!"

"Why not? 'Tis the truth. I saw her path and the way she's going, she will wind up in an encampment of Orcs being used for breeding stock." Jovina snapped back, she might as well dish out the bad news as far as she was concerned. The girl needed to wake up to the reality of her life. She really didn't see the point of beating around the bush.

"You lie!" Lerain yelled sitting up to launch herself at Jovina. The dwarrowdam grunted at the impact and fought back, pushing Lerain back down onto the bed, to sit atop her chest. She looked up at the tiny blonde and wondered how in the world Jovina had the strength to overcome her. Lerain looked up at Jovina, panting from exertion. The words 'breeding stock' echoing harshly in her head, Lerain was terrified of that exact thing. It was bad enough being in the grasp of those horrible men, to be taken by Orcs would be so much worse. She just could not see herself staying within the confining walls of Rivendell, bringing her disgrace to those she cared about. She wanted to take her taint and flee.

"If you want a different future, then get your arse out of that bed and come to the training field." Jovina told her meeting her eyes, her power flooded her and she watched as Lerain debated her path.

"You are saying that something as simple as getting out of bed will change my path?" Lerain hedged skeptically looking up at the Dwarrowdam as though she had two heads.

"Aye," Jovina nodded shortly, not breaking eye contact, "In your case that can change again with the next choice you make, but for now, aye."

"What exactly is that supposed to even mean?" Lerain whined at Jovina, relaxing underneath her. Jovina let go and moved off of her so she could rise.

Galadriel offered her hand and motioned for her to rise, "She means that you have a fractured path and for the next few days, weeks, and months, every choice you make will lead you to the light or keep you in the dark. You made a promise to Rylee yesterday that you would fight to remain in the light. Do you intend to break that promise?"

"I should never have made that promise, I don't know what I was thinking," Lerain lamented to the roof. Tears filled her eyes and she angrily wiped them away, they came and went at the worst moments. She hated the tears and the impossible rage that filled her sporadically, followed by the loathing and sadness. It tore at her and she didn't know how to deal with the consuming nature of her feelings, the only thing that made the aches go away was the black void of sleep. "I made it for Rylee's sake, and for Daeron. Why would he ask me to marry him? It is only pity he feels for me."

"That's a lie and you know it lass," Jovina scoffed and pulled the blankets off the Elf Maid. "He offers you protection and safety. That lad dotes on you."

"Then why has he not visited today?" Lerain responded, she was sulking, her arms crossed over her chest defensively.

"Because he still has duties to his men," Galadriel told her with her eyebrow raised. The young woman was acting like a little girl, a small child. "He is the Captain of the Guard. He still has to report to Lord Elrond and follow through on the investigation into what happened to you the other night. He is busy. He will visit you when he has time."

"Until then, you must keep busy and you must find the will to carry on for your own sake. You cannot live for Rylee or for Daeron. You must want to do it for yourself," Rohinna told her softly, she opened the wardrobe, the girl mostly wore dresses and robes, but there was the one pair of breaches and a long tunic which Rohinna pulled out and placed on the bed. "If you do not, you will drive yourself crazy and you will live the remainder of your life in fear."

"How would you know?" Lerain snapped at her pushing the clothes off the bed.

Rohinna sighed and picked them up off the floor, placing them back on the bed, "Stop acting like a child Lerain. Jovina already told you, we have each experienced trauma in our past. We have each worked our way through it and carried on. If each of us can do it, so can you."

"Where is Rylee, she wouldn't make me get up," Lerain whined again, she knew she was being childish and fighting with these three women was not getting her anywhere. In fact she knew very well that the only thing she was doing was making a fool of herself, she just couldn't seem to control this impulse any more than any of the others.

Galadriel nearly laughed, she would have if the situation was not so dire, "If anything Rylee would physically haul your arse out of that bed and carry you to the training field. If you don't believe me, just ask Jovina. I do believe she did that to you once, did she not Jovina?"

"She got me so far as my front door in my nightgown," Jovina said looking at the girl. Rylee had been a little brutal about it, but she had forced her to get out of bed and choose a path. Perhaps Lerain needed the same push. "Imagine it, me being hauled out of bed by a child more than half my age! The lass wasn't even gonna let me dress, at least Rohinna's already laid out clothes for you. And don't get me started on how much of a harridan Rylee is when she teaches. She is not an easy mentor."

"Fine, I am getting up," Lerain sighed and shooed the two Elf Maidens and the Dwarrowdam out of her bedroom. It was only a few minutes later that the door opened and Lerain stomped out of the room and out of the house.

They walked the path back up towards the training fields, Galadriel and Rohinna led the way while Jovina lagged behind with Lerain. As they passed over the low bridge, Lerain visibly flinched and slowed. "I cannot do this, I am going back."

Jovina took her hand and gave it a squeeze, "Every time you cross this bridge it'll be a step back to becoming strong and feeling safe. You were strong enough to survive the river, you were strong enough to survive the evil of men, and you're strong enough to survive this."

"How do you know if I am strong?" Lerain asked quietly clutching at Jovina's hands. "How do you know I can do this?"

"Honestly Lerain, I don't," Jovina said looking up at the young Elleth, a headache was beginning behind her eyes from the small use of power earlier and she mentally shook it off before meeting the girl's eyes. She kept her power in check and told the girl with all honesty, "I have seen your path and it is really fractured, you have dozens of directions to go now. Some will lead you to darkness, death and destruction. Yet I have seen others that will take you to the light where you will be strong, a wife, a lover, a warrior, a mother and a friend."

"How did you choose?" Lerain nearly begged for an easy answer and Jovina wished that there was an easy one that she could give the girl.

"I was like you Lerain," came her whispered reply, Jovina's voice could barely heard above the roaring of the river below them, "I was ready to die, ready to tip the bottle of poison into my mouth and end everything. Rylee stopped me, she couldn't understand why I would ever think about giving up, she gave me a reason to keep going. Then after she utterly pissed me off, I raged at her for an hour, pouring out my heart until there was nothing left. She just let me cry it out, she listened to every word I said and took it. Then she told me to search for the purpose of my life and to live for that."

"So you fought back for her? What does she mean to you Jovina?" Lerain asked the Dwarrowdam with the straight blond hair and the silky side-locks that hung before her ears.

"When I was attacked my body was badly damaged. I was told I would never be able to bear a child," Jovina confided quietly, her voice quivered. This was the worst part of her trauma, the one thing that she had the hardest time accepting. Even though she knew that it was not likely that she would ever find her One and have children, having the choice taken from her was the one thing she hated most. "I wanted to die. I saw no point to my life anymore. Even if I could find my One, I would never be able to bear him a child. Then seeing Rylee valiantly seeking her path, in her need of guidance and acceptance, I realized that she was the closest I would ever come to having a child of my own."

"Wasn't she already a woman grown?" Lerain asked as Jovina tugged on her hand, leading her over the bridge and after the other two women.

"No. Dwarves don't reach adulthood 'til they are seventy-five, Rylee is seventy two by my calculations. She's not yet considered an adult." Jovina said with a small smile, "She was sixty-five when I first met her."

"But she married Kili," Lerain said blinking at Jovina in surprise. It could not be normal or even acceptable behavior for any race to marry before they became adults.

"Rylee acts mature for her age, 'tis a side-effect of growing up amongst only adults," Jovina told her, "You would've had other children your age to grow with?"

"Yes there were three others my age. We were always together, playing, exploring, and learning together." Lerain smiled at the thought of her friends, friends that would no longer identify with her. Her smile faltered and then fell as the realization hit her, "They will not understand me anymore."

"They won't as long as you don't allow them to," Jovina agreed with a slight nod to her head, "'Tis up to you to tell others when you're ready to do so. At some point you'll have to tell your story, you'll need to let it out, share it, remember it and mourn it. If you don't then it'll fester inside of you until it becomes unbearable."

"I am not ready yet Jovina," Lerain said softly, shaking her head, a lump building in her throat, "I just cannot speak of it yet, it hurts too much to even think about it and when I do-."

Jovina watched the girl clutch at the front of her tunic, it was like she was trying to rip out her own heart through her clothes. There was a sheen of unshed tears in her eyes as she tried to push away the emotions that were building within her.

Watching Lerain, Jovina remembered all of these things, she felt her own hurt rise within her and threaten to tear at her soul. Jovina took a deep breath and accepted the pain of the trauma, accepted the path that she was now on and allowed the pain to fade into the past where it belonged. It was no longer a part of her life, it was part of her history, but it had no bearing on where she was now. "I know Lerain, it's been ten years since it happened to me and still the emotions threaten to sweep me away into the dark. It becomes easier as you accept it as part of your growth, as part of your past. When it happens, I take a breath and I accept it, I accept that it happened. I let the emotions in and just for a moment I allow them to be there, then I take another breath and I let them go. They have no bearing on the present moment and I look around me and count my blessings."

Lerain looked at Jovina as those very emotions swept over her face and through those fathomless black eyes. In that moment she really realized that Jovina was still battling her own darkness, that she too was still healing, and that she understood. She took a deep breath and tried what Jovina suggested, she didn't really feel able to accept it yet and the emotions threatened to take over, but she took another breath and made a choice to move forward. "I don't know if I am doing it right but I will try to press forwards anyways."

They were near the training fields where the dwarves were practicing under the direction of Dwalin. Lerain's eyes widened at the view of so many males, with weapons clanging and clashing under the morning sun. Their grunts of exertion brought back memories of other noises as the images of the other night flashed before her eyes. There was no air and suddenly Lerain wanted to run, she could not be here, she could not do this and be around all those men. She felt a dry heave pull at her stomach as she tried to stumble away from the foray and was restrained. She felt Jovina take her arm, leading her to the edge of the training yard, then she felt herself being settled onto a low bench and Jovina sat beside her. "Look at me Lerain. Look into my eyes."

"Breathe, long, deep, slow breaths," Jovina's voice echoed around her. Without thought Lerain turned to Jovina and looked into her bottomless black eyes. She felt like she was being pulled into a long void, she should feel lost and trapped but Jovina was holding her hands and rubbing her arms. She pulled a deep wavering breath into her burning lungs. Jovina's voice guided her and her eyes anchored her, for a brief moment the sound of the training field fell away and all she knew was the safety of Jovina's powerful eyes. "I am going to release you slowly, just let it flow over you, listen to the sounds and accept them as normal. You are safe here. No one here is going to harm you. I swear it on my life, if they try Lerain, I will destroy them."

As Jovina released her hold on Lerain's mind, she became aware of Rohinna sitting just behind her, her hand making comforting circles on her back. Lady Galadriel was sitting just on the far side of Jovina, her eyes filled with wisdom and some distant sadness. She was not watching Lerain and her face was not one of pity but one of grief. It was then that Lerain remembered her father saying that Lady Galadriel's daughter returned to Valinor after a similar incident that left her spirit damaged and broken. The great Lady of Lothlórien was mourning the loss of her daughter. It was like having an honor guard, all three of the women were there to keep her safe. Lerain was both grateful and frustrated. She shouldn't need that, shouldn't need them to make her feel comfortable in her own home, her own city, in her own skin. The rage built in her again and she pressed into the back, refusing to allow it or any other emotions to fill her anymore.

"We're just going to sit here for a while and watch the dwarves as they practice," Jovina said softly, still rubbing Lerain's hands in her own. "You don't have to do anything but just be here in the moment. Okay?"

"Alright," Lerain nodded as she continued to take deep breaths and let her eyes wander around the training field. It was a few minutes later that one of the younger Dwarves wandered over.

"May we join you ladies," a shy sheepish voice asked quietly from beside Rohinna. Lerain looked over her shoulder and saw the Hobbit, his long dagger hanging at his side like it was a long sword. Lerain realized that for him it would be a sword since he was so small. Beside him stood the Dwarf with the bowl cut and the braids that hung down from it, threaded with purple cords. He held a journal in his hands and his fingers were stained with ink and charcoal.

"Of course Ori," Jovina smiled up at him, "but you'll have to pull up a piece of turf since the bench is taken."

"Obviously," Ori grinned happily and sat at their feet. "'Tis a brilliant morning, is it not?"

"It is very beautiful Ori," Rohinna smiled and looked at the young dwarf. None of them knew what had happened to Lerain, nor did they know her very well, so they would not realize that her behavior was odd in any way. She wanted to keep them from realizing that the Elleth was still working through her own overwhelming emotions. "What are you working on today?"

"Oh I am trying to fill in the details from the wedding last night. I think that I almost have everything. What do you think?" Ori said quietly before holding out his journal for Rohinna to look at.

Lerain looked down at the page, Thorin stood at the back holding the chalice above Rylee and Kili's bound hands. Fili and Jovina stood just to the side having just finished tying the true-love knots into the ribbons. The flowers of the garden were in full bloom behind them as though they opened just for that occasion as a blessing over the young couple.

"They are so beautiful together," Lerain whispered as she reached out to touch the likenesses of Kili and Rylee. "You are very talented Master Ori, it looks just like them."

Ori blushed a deep red and then he choked out bashfully, "Thank you Miss Lerain, I drew one of you and Captain Daeron. Would you like to see it?"

Without giving her a chance to respond the young dwarf was flipping ahead a few pages, bypassing Rylee and Kili dancing alongside Jovina and Thorin, Elihara and Elorin, Kalyna and Glorfindel. There was another of Rylee and Kili's kiss, the passion and love between them was apparent, just as it had been in real life.

Ori finally settled on one where Rylee and Kili stood talking to Lerain and Daeron. It was a stunning drawing, one that belied all of the tales of the hate between Elves and Dwarves, it depicted a tall Elven couple smiling happily down at the joyous Dwarves. Lerain tried to tell herself that Daeron never looked at her the way he did in the drawing, he looked protective and held the Maiden tightly in his arms, his body language was the same as what Lerain saw when her father flirted with her mother. After being together for millennia they still had that affection. Lerain looked at herself and while she looked like herself she noted the way she curled in towards Daeron, like he was the only thing keeping her there, her one reason for being present. There was an underlying sadness in her eyes that Ori somehow picked up on, even though there was a smile on her face.

Rylee and Kili were filled with joy and every line of their bodies spoke of the intimacy they held for each other. Though they were looking up at the Elves it was like they were still speaking quietly to each other. Lerain looked at the drawing and the feelings of the night before returned. Standing there talking to Rylee and Kili was like being invited into the home of a dear friend for the first time, sharing their most private selves with the dearest of friends. How had that happened? How had Rylee and Kili become so close so quickly? Like their lives were suddenly intertwined in a bond of friendship.

"You can keep this one if you like," Ori offered her and Lerain met his eyes. They were bright sienna brown and his lids sloped down just at the outer corner, the eyes of an honest man, or in his case an honest Dwarf. "You were very beautiful last night. You and Daeron make a stunning couple."

Lerain looked at the bashful dwarf for a long moment as a heated blush covered her cheeks. She smiled softly and shook her head as she said, "Thank you Master Dwarf, but there was no one more beautiful than Rylee. The bride is always the most beautiful."

"She was absolutely stunning," Bilbo agreed, speaking up for the first time. He remained standing beside the tall Lady of Lothlórien, feeling drawn to her for some unfathomable reason that had to be more than just her beauty and grace. He looked down at the drawing that was now being held lovingly in Lerain's hands, "Were those traditional robes? I read about them once, how they were meant to tell the story of a bride's life and they take a full year to create."

"You are correct," Jovina smiled at Bilbo, her black eyes seemed to brighten from within, he wondered how that was possible, since they were black. "Our traditional robes are meant to describe who we are when we give ourselves to our new family."

"Kili's clothes were traditional wedding wear as well," Ori said with a bright smile, "Normally it is custom for the bride to make her own robes for her wedding, but Thorin told us last night that Mahal and Yavanna created their clothes, since our dear Rylee cannot sew."

"Is that odd for a female Dwarf?" Bilbo asked suddenly, his curiosity was burning bright. "Isn't it odd that she cannot do what most women of all races can? I mean, I don't think I have ever met a Hobbit maiden that cannot cook or sew."

"Perhaps it is a little strange," Ori agreed as he sat back in thought, "I've never met a dwarf maid who doesn't at least try to do the more womanly tasks, but Rylee's different. She's not really a true Dwarf, she was created by the Valar and she might look a bit Dwarvish, but she's not truly a Dwarf. Would you not agree Jovina?"

"Aye Ori, Rylee is quite different than others of our kind," Jovina nodded in agreement, "A female dwarf usually has some sort of facial hair, keep in mind that a Dwarrowdam's beard is usually much thinner, finer and shorter than a Dwarf's. It is rare for a Dwarrowdam to have a full beard or moustache like our male counterparts, usually it is just a small soft brushing of jaw-silk like Kalyna has or side locks like my own. Jaw-silk on a dwarrowdam never grows more than a few inches and side-locks can grow as long as her hair. Unlike rough Dwarf beards, a Dwarrowdam's facial hair is finer than silk, we usually wear it in braids or beaded, it is our pride to care for our facial hair."

"So why is it that Dwarrowdams are never seen travelling, only Dwarves?" Bilbo inquired next, he watched as Lerain kept up with the conversation, but her eyes wandered worriedly around the training field. Watching the guards and the dwarves as they sparred and trained with each other and flinching when they came near or gave out a battle cry. He wondered why she was so jumpy.

"We do travel with our men," Jovina said in confusion looking at Ori with a furrowed brow, "at least we did when I was here last. When I did, I found that it was easiest to travel if I rearranged my side-locks over my face to give myself the look of having a beard. Has this changed Master Ori?"

"No, not really. Most of our women prefer to stay in the safety of our communities. Since the dragons devastated many of our holds there are fewer Dwarrowdams and they refuse to travel outside the safety of our communities," Ori said meeting the black eyes of their latest Company member. "When they do, they will do as you did and braid their side-locks over their faces in order to make themselves look more like the Dwarves they are travelling with. This way 'tis much safer to travel, it helps too that most Dwarrowdams don't wear dresses or gowns unless 'tis a really special event, like you did at the wedding last night Miss Jovina."

"How is this possible Ori?" Lerain asked suddenly flipping through the pictures of her new friend. She flipped through the pictures of the company, going back over their journey. Every member was within, Ori had even done a self portrait though he was unkind to himself, there was no life in the eyes of the picture and his eyes were so bright in real life. One thing she noticed was that Rylee seemed to look gorgeous no matter how dirty and disheveled the other dwarves looked. "Does she never get dirty? Every picture of her is perfect, while everyone else looks travel worn and grungy."

"Rylee is a fanatic about cleanliness," Bilbo said with a smile, thinking about all the times that Gloin joked about her need to smell like a flower garden.

"That is the truth!" Galadriel chuckled softly, then she remembered what Thorin said about the bog beast. "Ori, would you show us the drawing of Rylee after her unfortunate slough incident?"

"Oh, I don't know Lady Galadriel," Ori said turning bright red, "I don't know if Rylee would-"

"Believe me, she won't mind," Rohinna laughed meeting Ori's eyes, "The reason Rylee is a fanatic about cleanliness has nothing to do with her pride or her vanity. She hates the feel of filth on her body. Rylee actually has quite sensitive skin, not that she has a reaction or anything, she once told me that she can feel the buildup of dirt and she hates the sensation of it."

"Please show us Master Ori," Jovina begged, with a wide smile, "I have never seen her covered in filth."

"Go ahead Ori, show them," Thorin's voice called over to him from a few feet away, where he was watching Fili and Dwalin sparring, "It was Rylee's suggestion that Galadriel ask you to see the drawing."

"Oh alright," Ori conceded as he met Thorin's gaze. He was surprised that Thorin was paying attention to their conversation but he did as asked and took the book, flipping towards the beginning of his journal to find the page before placing it directly back into Lerain's lap. It made the most sense, since everyone seemed to be hovering around the young Elf Maiden. She jolted at the sudden intrusion on her space but took the book back willingly. "Here you are, Rylee as the Bog Beast."

Lerain looked down at the picture, glanced back at Ori skeptically and then back at the picture again. The creature in the drawing could not possibly be the Daughter of Aulë. There was nothing recognizable about Rylee in it. She was covered in what could only be described as thick sludge and slime, she was completely wrapped in reeds and grasses, long reeds hung off of her haphazardly, there were ferns dangling, one of which hung over her face. There was a lily pad with a frog sitting atop her head like an oddly placed hat, the poor amphibian looked completely terrified. The grasses that clung to her axes on her back looked like some sort of deformed monster wings.

Everyone crowded behind Lerain trying to get a good look at the picture in her lap. She looked up into Ori's eyes with a small smile on her face, "this is not really Rylee, this didn't really happen."

"Oh but it did!" Bilbo said from beside Galadriel who was laughing as she looked over Lerain's shoulder. "She named the frog Bob and let him go beside a slow stream at our camp that night."

"She told Thorin that he was a stick in the mud and Thorin took one look at Rylee, and said, 'No Rylee, from the looks of it that would be you." Ori quoted dropping his voice to mimic his leader. "And watching her ride Mikhaul was absolutely hilarious, I mean every branch, reed, fern, and piece of grass was shaking, like she was some sort of walking plant, they were bouncing as they went. And then the fern kept hitting her nose making her sneeze!"

"Oh my goodness!" Rohinna started to laugh, holding her belly, "Have you ever heard a sweeter sound than Rylee's sneeze?"

"So high pitched and squeaky like a small mouse," Jovina grinned meeting Lerain's eyes.

Rohinna tried to imitate it, only for the others to snort and disagree that Rylee's sneeze was higher pitched. Then Jovina tried and had to agree that hers was not near squeaky enough. Finally Galadriel tried and still it sounded almost in a normal range. They laughed at the imitations and how far off they were. None of them came close so Bilbo squished up his face, strangled his voice and let out a high pitched squeak. Ori fell over laughing, "That's it! Bilbo got it! That is Rylee's sneeze!"

"We had no idea what it was until Thorin said 'Bless you Rylee.' I swear the entire company laughed keeled over in fits of laughter," Bilbo said to Lerain with a bright smile, "That was such a good day. She ended up telling us the true tale of the Mithril Queen. She called it Durin's tall tale of unrequited love."

Lerain looked back down at the book in her lap and the plant covered Dwarrowdam sitting atop her great horse looking like a walking shrub and she felt joy. Lerain started to laugh, joining along with the others, and watching Ori lie on the ground holding his little round belly as he guffawed gleefully.

* * *

Training was done for the day, at least for the Dwarves. Galadriel was on the edge of the field speaking with Glorfindel and Cirdan. Daeron joined Elihara and Jovina, who were working on teaching the young Elven harp player the basics about fighting in the now deserted training field. The girl seemed to be in a sad mood earlier, but after talking with Ori and seeing the picture of Rylee after the slough incident her mood seemed to lift, as did the spirits of the entire group of ladies. Their laughter ended up luring the dwarves nearer, where they discussed all the details from the incident. They told Lerain of Rylee's propensity to be clean and how she always needed a bath within three days. Gloin said he could set a clock by her and her need to be clean. From there came stories of the other strange and humorous things Rylee got up to on the journey from the Shire. The poor girl was in for some teasing when she and Kíli emerged from their honeymoon.

The dwarves dispersed, going off in their own directions to spend the remainder of their day relaxing or doing whatever they chose. Most of their chores were completed already and they would be free for the next few hours. Only two still lingered around the training field and Thorin was certain that he noted a look of mischief in their eyes.

"Where do you think you are going?" Thorin asked as Fíli and Bofur tried to sneak away from the courtyard. It was afternoon two days after the wedding, every day after training Fíli looked longingly in the direction of Rylee's quarters. Thorin knew he missed them and felt deprived of their company but really, they were on their honeymoon and needed their space.

"Nowhere really," Fíli said with a slightly guilty expression. Thorin quirked his brow, obviously he did not believe a word he said. They were just going to set up a prank for when the happy couple emerged from their days of bliss. Apparently it was not going to happen right now. He shot Bofur a look.

Bofur met Fíli's eye but kept his expression clear as he met Thorin's eyes. He looked much more nonchalant as he said, "To the, um, Kitchens, they have those nice puddings we like. We just wanted to see if they had anymore."

"And the fact that the kitchens are in the other direction?" Thorin glared at the pair.

"We were going to take the long way!" Bofur defended himself as Thorin blocked the way.

"For the hundredth time today, you are not going to see Rylee or Kíli." Thorin growled at them, meeting a pair of guilty stares. "They are enjoying their honeymoon days, you cannot disturb them. No practical jokes either, we will be back on the road soon enough, you can pester them then."

"But Rohinna was there this morning!" Fíli argued in protest, he had seen the pretty Elven maid head up the road that very morning with a large basket in her arm. He really didn't care that she was only there long enough to drop off the full basket and come back out with an empty basket. She got to go into the house on the edge of the city and no one else was allowed.

"She takes them food and then leaves." Thorin said gruffly. "It is her job. You realize that while they are there, she is basically homeless? She is staying with Lerain and her parents. Go find something to do before I send you to Dwalin for more training time."

"What are we supposed to do?" Fíli said in frustration, there was really not a lot that they could do in the small river city. They were getting really bored, really quickly.

"Go fishing or something." Thorin said with a shake to his head, there were plenty of things they could do while they were in Rivendell. Several members of the company were still healing from the burns that they received at the hands of the Trolls. The entire Company should be using the time to rest and heal before they went on the next leg of their journey. "This place is built on a river, there has to be some place for you to fish or swim. Go scout ahead and see which trails lead to the high pass. Help Nori gather supplies, or Elorin in the Armory. Work on your craft. There is a music room, library, and a market at your disposal. Do something, anything, as long as it does not involve Kíli or Rylee."

Both dwarves mumbled something under their breaths before they wandered back in the direction they came from. Thorin shook his head in frustration. He tried to give the Company tasks daily to keep them out of trouble and out of the way of the Elves. The most important was to garner and procure supplies for their journey through the mountains. Without the ponies the trip would be much more difficult and they would need to be able to pack everything they needed on their backs. Nori was in charge of gathering what they needed and their small pile of supplies was slowly growing day to day.

They nodded to Galadriel as she passed them on her way back up to the main house where her grandsons were calling to her. Fíli watched the Elf Maiden thoughtfully. She was a being of pure beauty and elegance who, in essence, proved everything true that his uncle ever said about the pointy eared people, yet she had an entirely different side to her that proved her to be much more open minded than any of the other elves he had met. It seemed to Fíli that the Elves that Rylee was acquainted with were much different than most of the ones that he met while living and working in the mountains near the Grey Havens of Mithlond.

As the Prince of Durin's Folk, it was Fíli's responsibility to keep communications open with the Elves in the area. Of all the Elves that he was ever in contact with, the least cold and aloof was Cirdan, the Lord of the Grey Havens. He was the only bearded Elf Fíli could remember ever seeing until he met Elorin. Cirdan was wise and fair, he was a man who spent a great deal of time living and working around the great ships in his harbor. Fíli liked him because he was hard working and he was a great thinker, not one to just spout the same old arguments and prejudices. It seemed that his new little sister knew all of the Lords and Kings of the Elves, so seeing Cirdan present at Rylee and Kíli's wedding was not a great surprise.

During the feast they greeted each other amicably and during their short conversation, Fíli found out that Cirdan met Rylee in the First Age, while she was on her first quest. The Elf was honest enough to say that he did not know Rylee well, she showed up with Gil-galad one day after having offered him a lance that she told them was of Divine Inspiration. Cirdan said that it didn't take long for him to realize that she was telling the truth of her beginnings, what with her strange comings and goings and the great horse that could not be penned. During her second quest she travelled between the Mouths of Sirion and Belegost several times before finally making her journey to Gondolin with Jovina, Celeborn, and Galadriel, the latter of who was having some dire visions of the doom on the city. Upon spying the recently reanimated Jovina, Cirdan went so far as to say that he was still curious as to how Rylee secreted Jovina into the city since Dwarves were not welcome within the gates.

The conversation went well until Cirdan greeted Thorin, who until that point had seen to it that he had as little to do with the Elf Lord as possible. Much to Fíli's surprise, Thorin was almost amicable with Cirdan for the first time in decades, though their conversation was rather halting and cold. Thorin and Cirdan disagreed loudly several times in the past on the reopening and delving of Belegost. Neither one backing down until Fíli, who was still just a lad at the time, stepped in and negotiated a fair agreement between them. Fíli was only thirty-two when he was given the role as an ambassador for the Dwarves. While Thorin could be quite tactful, as he was taught diplomacy from a young age, when it came to the Elves Fíli found that his uncle had little patience for any of them. Rylee was slowly changing that and Fíli wondered if there was a chance that Thorin might someday remake the alliances that were long ago destroyed.

Fíli's thoughts turned back to their current predicament as the Lady of Light disappeared up the steps of the last Homely House. He looked forlornly at Bofur for a long moment, now that they were deterred from their mission to interrupt Kíli and Rylee's alone time.

"There has to be something we can do to pass the time," Fíli grumbled to Bofur as they walked past the market place for the third time. "Nori won't let us help him gather supplies. Thorin is already helping Elorin in the forge. This market place has no raw supplies that I can use to craft the armor I want to make for Thorin, not that I could carry it with us to Erebor if I wanted. It is ridiculous really, what does he expect us to do?"

"Well we can't go back to the Market, not after Gloin bartered the pipe maker down to pennies for that new pipe of his." Bofur sighed, he was hoping to get some more Old Toby but seconds after the thundering Gloin got through with the poor merchant, he closed his booth in frustration. It was the same at other booths. Balin drove one of the clerics nearly mad arguing about semantics while Ori tried to decide which quills he wanted and kept changing his mind. Dwalin scoffed at every knife on display in the market, continually pulling out the one Rylee made him to compare, finding nothing that would pair well with it. "Not to mention Bifur getting into that argument in Khuzdul with some poor Elf Maid who only spoke Elvish, while trying to buy some pigments for his crafts. He really didn't mean to turn over her table."

"Aye, Nori didn't help matters much either, Dori kept chasing him around putting things away just as the merchants were realizing that they were missing." Fíli sighed in frustration. "And Oin yelling at the clerk at the herb cart was the last straw, I don't see why he didn't just go to the Healing Halls to speak with the Apothecary."

"Gloin insisted they go to the market," Bofur explained rolling his eyes thinking of the pair of brothers. Gloin practically dragged his reluctant brother away from the Healing Halls while Oin hollered at his brother, then when the Pipe Maker walked away from his cart he hauled Oin back out of the market before Oin could buy the herbs that he spent the last hour yelling and creating confusion over.

"If it wasn't so frustrating, it would be comical," Fíli shook his head. There was no way that he would be able to buy some Old Toby now and his stock was getting unbearably low. He looked back in the direction of Rylee and Kíli's place and sighed. He hated to say it but he missed his brother and it had been less than a day since he last saw him. "Perhaps we could go to the kitchens and see if they have any of those sweets that they made for the wedding last night."

"Don't bother, Bombur ate them," Bofur scoffed with a wry grin, Bombur sat close to the feast table the night before enjoying every morsel of food available, those cakes were amongst his favorites. Rohinna suggested that he ask Rylee for her cookbook. Half the company nearly choked upon hearing those words, making Rohinna laugh loudly at their shock. "Besides aren't those the ones that Rohinna made with Rylee's recipe?"

"She can't cook, yet she has a recipe for the best cakes I have ever had, hidden in some cookbook that is written in ancient Khuzdul," Fíli growled kicking at a rock, making it ping against the cobblestone tiles of the street. "So now what, that was the last of my good ideas, everything else will only lead us to trouble."

"You Dwarves certainly have created a large amount of trouble in a short amount of time. Have you discovered the crystal caves yet? Or the hot pools that lay beyond? If you want to hunt there is a trail that leads from the East gate over the tall pass and into the forest there. There is great hunting if you saw fit to do so." A feminine voice came from behind them. "There is also fishing further down the valley and several swimming holes that are not too busy at this time of day. Rivendell actually has a great deal to offer if you just look around a bit."

Fíli turned and saw the black haired daughter of Elorin and Elihara, he could not remember her name but he remembered her voice. It was deeper than that of an Elf but higher than that of most Dwarrowdams, it was something he really liked about her. She really was stunning, but much too tall for his tastes. He did have a thing for black hair, but hers was too flat and straight and not long enough. She had just a smattering of silk on her jaw line, just enough to clip a few jewels, but there was nothing adorned in it. He did not think he had ever been fussy about women before but since Kíli met Rylee and seeing them fall in love, Fíli knew that he wanted nothing less than what they had. Fíli wanted his One and as pretty as this Dwarrow-Elf was, she was not his. That did not mean he would not flirt with her though.

"Perhaps we might be swayed to believe you," Fíli grinned cheekily with a brow raised, "If there was a maid as pretty as you to show us around?"

"I am off duty for the moment, I suppose I could show you around," The Dwarrow-Elf smiled at him, "But it will cost you your names. I cannot possibly be persuaded to escort a pair of complete strangers."

"I am Fíli," He said with a smile, this was going well so far, "At your service."

"Bofur, at your service miss," Bofur said with a growing smile, "I do not believe we caught your name at the wedding, though I do believe you inherited your mother's dancing feet."

"Thank you, though I am afraid I am a better fighter than dancer, Father insisted that dancing would help develop grace in battle," The maid smiled at the compliment, "Kalyna, at your service."

"So you cannot do the dance with axe and sword?" Fíli asked as he took her left arm and Bofur took her right. Fíli thought back to the night at Bilbo's, the Company made a routine of cleaning that night which used much the same principle as Rylee's sword and axe catching. Fíli wondered if Rylee would be willing to teach him her dance, he was already pretty good at juggling his knives and axes, how much harder could it be to set to music?

"No, I never had the patience to learn it. My sister did, but she sailed to Aman after Norwend passed away," Kalyna told them sagely. She started to lead them down into the valley along the stone pathways before she continued. "I preferred to fight than dance."

"That's a pity lass," Bofur said with a shake to his head, "but at least your dancing feet work and that is more than enough for me. Can you play an instrument?"

"Absolutely not," Kalyna laughed outright, "I have no sense of tune or melody, I can follow a beat, but to make music is beyond my capabilities. I am a weapons master, one of the best of the Rangers."

"So why are you here? Why are you not in the north with your brethren?" Fíli asked with unconcealed curiosity.

"I am here on a mission," Kalyna said quietly thinking of the young Dunedain charge that she was sent to teach. Estel was a bright child, constantly asking questions, but very somber and worried for his mother. She was not allowed to tell anyone of who he was. All of their lessons were done in a private courtyard within the Homely House, out of the view of the curious guests. "I am here to instruct a young charge in the art of weaponry and the mastery of it. Unfortunately, I cannot say anything more about it."

"Do you train a lot of the Dunedain Rangers?" Bofur asked as they walked along. They were nearing the lower boardwalk that led to the lower markets when Kalyna guided them to a hidden path that ventured to the left of the bay and along the high wall of the valley. She released their arms and took the lead, following the path.

"I have trained many over the years. Though I have seen many battles and have done a great deal of tracking and hunting of shadows, my age and mastery makes me well suited for the teaching and training the younglings," Kalyna said, a furrow in her brow. "I prefer the trail but my chief has deemed that I am the only one who can take on this particular mission."

"So you like children then?" Bofur asked with a cheeky smile.

"I enjoy them, I suppose," Kalyna smiled softly, "not enough to give up my work, I am solely dedicated to the mission that I am currently on. It is very important to me that I succeed."

"Another beautiful Dwarrowdam lost to her work," Bofur said with an exaggerated sigh, he was teasing her but that was often the way it was with Dwarrowdams. They either found their One or they were married to their craft. This was the reason why the birthrate among Dwarves was so low. More and more maids were choosing their work above love and family.

"For now, I am both Dwarrow and Elf so I have plenty of time to change my mind," Kalyna smiled at Bofur, her crystalline blue eyes glinted in the bright sunlight. She had Elf eyes, pale ice blue in an equally pale face, they were striking against her black hair and brows.

"Whoever you catch will be doubly blessed for having someone who is stunningly beautiful, fierce, and strong," Fíli complimented her with a bright smile, making her blush. Then he looked around at the trail, they were following the path of the valley along the great rivers that flowed from it. The tall trees that grew up from the valley floor towered over them, their thick foliage creating just enough shade on the path to keep the warm sun from becoming overpowering. "So where are you leading us this afternoon Miss Kalyna? Is this the path to the fishing holes?"

"Yes it is," She smiled turning back to look at the cheeky blonde dwarf. He was quite handsome, with his wavy golden hair braided back from his face, the braided mustache, and his bright cerulean blue eyes. If she were to fall, it might be with someone like him. She preferred men who were taller than she was though and his hair was not quite light enough. Her only problem was that he seemed to have an almost dual personality. He could flow between overly serious and keen, to wickedly cheeky and flirtatious. She had seen this during the wedding and she was not certain that she would be able to put up with such varied emotions. Kalyna figured that this was the Elf in her, she preferred men who were calm and easy natured. Males like Glorfindel, who would never look at her in the same way. There were few men that could get past the jaw-silk that lined her lower jaw. She refused to shave it, or use sugar to take it off, like many of her Elven peers suggested that she do. Kalyna was as proud of her Dwarf blood as she was the Elf.

They finally made it down to her favorite fishing hole and she gathered some equipment that was set in a large stone box along the tree line. The equipment was left here for anyone to use, since the community of Elves was so tightly knit. There was no need for any one person to own fishing supplies unless they really wanted to. Kalyna handed out a long pole and some string to each Dwarf as well as a hook for each, then they went about catching and digging up bait for their lines. Within the hour they had everything they needed and had each selected a place near the bank to cast their lines.

Fíli whipped his line into the water and started to slowly tug the line, drawing the line in, then releasing it, tugging again, and releasing it. Then he slowly pulled it toward him, within moments his line was snagged and Fíli made quick work of reeling it in, revealing a large river trout.

"There are nets and drag lines in the stone box Fíli," Kalyna said barely even looking at the catch, paying attention to her own line rather than the pair of Dwarves accompanying her.

"Nice catch Fíli," Bofur said with a wink at Kalyna, "too bad all you're catching is fish."

"That's fine Bofur, at least I'm not the one catching flies," Fíli retorted with a grin. The older Dwarf's jaw dropped at the jibe and Fíli laughed. Kalyna looked at the cheeky dwarf with the odd hat and giggled softly, watching as he closed his surprised mouth.

"Nay Fíli his trap wasn't open long enough. If he was actually catching flies," Kalyna grinned at him her pale blue eyes glittering brightly, "we could use them as bait."

"Oh, now that's not fair lass," Bofur laughed heartily letting the joke be turned on him.

They sat in silence for a long while casting their lines, then reeling them in, Kalyna caught two fish before Bofur finally caught his first. The afternoon was slowly wiling away as they sat in the shade of the trees. Finally, Fíli looked at Kalyna, she was a warrior, had been for centuries, she had to have an opinion on weapons and their uses.

"So your weapons," Fíli asked testing her, his voice quiet, "Do you prefer Elven or Dwarven?"

"If I had to choose then I would have to say Elven bows, Dwarven swords and axes," Kalyna answered quickly as she threw her line into the river, there was no hesitation in her answer, "Dwarf bows are too small for my larger frame, though I do like the tension. Elven swords are too thin for my greater muscle mass, but I prefer the weight of them. Luckily my father is a master Weapon Smith and he was able to make me hybrid weapons that fit me to perfection."

"So Elorin was able to make you a hybrid of sorts for your unique strengths and weaknesses?" Fíli asked her. He looked at her weapons pack that was sitting near her on the riverbank. He could not see her swords since they were stowed away in their black leather scabbards. The bow was sitting on top. He could see that it was longer than the normal Elven long bow. It was a re-curve bow like Kíli's and yet it was slightly longer, but just as beefy in the handle and the nocks where the string was tied was made of some sort of white bone.

"Oh yes, my weapons are really one of a kind, made specifically made for my strengths and weaknesses," Kalyna responded. She slowly jerked her line to lure some fish to her bait, "The sword is a cutlass style of blade, curved with a single cutting edge and a fine point for thrusting into my enemy, the battle axe is also of a one handed style, that way I can use them both simultaneously. I have a unique fighting style so the variation of weapons suits me."

"I would love to spar with you," Fíli said from his place near the river, he cast his line again, "Perhaps when you have time tomorrow we can have some practice. It would be nice to spar with someone new."

"Surely amongst the Company you have enough variety," Kalyna scoffed shaking her head. His tone was flirtatious, his face was serious, she wasn't sure what to make of Fíli.

"Most of the company I have sparred with all my life," Fíli told her quietly, "Believe me, fighting against most of them is boring. Kíli, Thorin, and Dwalin give the most challenge."

"What about Rylee Emitheral?" Kalyna asked turning to look at him. He sat on the bank of the river, holding the rod and string in his strong hands, slowly reeling in the line. "Don't you spar with her?"

"Never have much of a chance," Fíli shrugged and looked up meeting Kalyna's eyes, "There was little time on the trail, then when we got here she shuttered herself into the Forge, after that Kíli was courting her. Believe me, Kíli will never share her attentions with anyone, he is that jealous."

"Typical Dwarf behavior," Bofur reminded Fíli. Dwarves were very protective and possessive of their women. Kíli was just being a normal Dwarf by keeping Rylee to himself. "They are both very jealous, you saw what happened the first night we were here? Your father nearly ended up with a sword through him and Lerain is lucky that Daeron knows how to distract a jealous maid."

"She is also lucky that the Daughter of Aulë is a matchmaker," Fíli chuckled giving Kalyna a small wink, "She set up your parents, after your mother threw a jealous fit."

"Jealousy. Aye, that is one Dwarf trait that my parents share," Kalyna said with a wry grin. She looked at Fíli and then Bofur, both of them nodded in agreement. "My mother and father are both very jealous as well."

"The question is," Fíli grinned at her, raising his eyebrows suggestively, "Do you share the same trait? Are you a jealous lover?"

"I would not know. I am very much an Elf in that aspect, I have never taken a lover," Kalyna shook her head. Luckily she lived in the villages of Men long enough to know that their morals were much different than Elves and her Elven roots were very much a part of her. "For an Elf, when one commits into a sexual relationship, it is considered a lifelong intimacy. For us, marriage and sex go hand in hand."

"That is interesting," Bofur said looking at Fíli, realizing that there would be no affairs with the fair folk during this visit. "So I take it that there are no drunken affairs that result in the abashed morning after awkwardness?"

"Of course not," Kalyna shook her head, "Sex outside of marriage amongst Elves is almost unheard of. For one to remarry after the death of a spouse has only ever happened once, we love that deeply. Besides do you have any idea how hard it is for an Elf to get drunk?"

"Probably as hard as it is for Rylee to get drunk," Fíli quirked a brow at her before he asked her, "You were there for her Last Night, right? What was she like?"

"Really relaxed, actually she got quite drunk," Kalyna said as she thought about the way Rylee acted around Galadriel. The Lady of Lothlórien was one of the most intimidating, graceful and poised women in all of Middle-Earth and yet Rylee had been very familiar with her. "She went so far as to climb Galadriel like a tree and then was too afraid to climb back down. She is very amusing when drunk."

"She is very amusing when not drunk, though this climbing of the Elf-Maiden intrigues me, I want to know more," Fíli grinned, looking at Kalyna as he waited for her to explain why Rylee would possibly climb on her friend.

"Well we were all quite tipsy, but no one more than Emitheral. Lady Galadriel was teasing her with the last bottle of Fire Wine, and Rylee was drunk enough to climb on her to get it. I was surprised that she looked so refreshed at the wedding," Kalyna confided conspiratorially, grinning at both Fíli and Bofur, "I would love to know her secret. I have never seen an Elf consume more than four bottles of Fire Wine without severe side effects. Emitheral drank eight and was still walking!"

"Aye that wine is quite potent. We had to drink a full bottle before Rylee and Lady Galadriel left the Winery and it hit us really quickly, Bifur especially," Bofur grinned back at her, "for the next hour we had to keep hauling him off of the racking. I do not think I have heard him talk that much since the battle of Azanulbizar. He was actually coherent for a good part of it!"

"He actually spoke an entire sentence in common tongue!" Fíli said as his eyebrows shot up with the importance of the declaration.

"Go figure that it would take Fire Wine to get Bifur that stoked," Bofur laughed at the thought. "Get it? Stoking the flame?"

"Horrible," the joke was awful and Kalyna shook her head with a wry smile. "Hey Bofur! You caught something!"

There was a sharp tug on the Dwarf's string and the rod tilted precariously in his hands before he grabbed it. The line went taut, the pole bent, and Bofur struggled to pull the catch in. Just as quickly, the line snapped and the pole sprang back, the hook and his bait was long gone.

"Never mind, it got away." Kalyna sighed at the sight.

"Story of my life lass," Bofur sighed sadly with a wink, pulling his line back in, "story of my life."


	28. All In A Day's Work

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, any of Tolkien's works or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either. I own only my OC's and that which I have created.**

**To Axle Beau, ro781727, and AthenaSophia85: ****I really appreciate all the kind words, motivation and everything else. **

**Please do review, I really love to hear what you have to say and think about the chapters.**

**Thanks for the follows and favorites!**

**I know, I know, it has been forever since the last chapter. Lots happening in the real world to help slow down the production of a new chapter. But I believe that is cleared up now and we can get back at it. **

**BTW, in case you are wondering, Lerain's journey is not one I take lightly, let's just say it is a catharsis of my own demons and I know by personal experience that not everyone deals with trauma of any kind in the same way. There are only a few moments of mention of her in this particular chapter, but I thought you might want to know my thoughts on that. This chapter is more about Rylee and Kili, Thorin and Jovina, I hope you enjoy...**

Chapter 28

June 14

All in a Day's Work

She felt Kíli move away from her while she slept and she woke in his absence. Sleeping in his arms was something that she truly cherished, she slept deeper and longer, the dreams felt less real and more like portents than vivid images of an alternate reality. Rylee loathed to think about when they were back on the road and would have to sleep in their separate bedrolls and she wondered if anyone would object to her combining her bedroll with Kíli's and them sleeping together.

Rylee found she could not sleep without him beside her and she sat up amidst the tangled sheets. She looked around the room and blushed thinking about the number of times they had made love, exploring each other's bodies and then making love some more. Her blush deepened as she thought about the places where they made love, for it was not only in the bedroom. There was not a room in the house that didn't bear the memory of at least the start of something. The kitchen table would never be the same, at least not in her eyes. The furs that covered the floor in front of the massive main floor fireplace at one point was the location of a nest of blankets and pillows. Luckily they were under the blankets simply cuddling when Rohinna dropped off her basket that morning. All three of them turned shades of heated embarrassment as they all considered the nearly compromising situation.

Rylee pulled a dressing gown from her wardrobe and pulled it over her shoulders before heading downstairs to find her husband. Even after two and a half days of almost constant lovemaking with her One, it was astonishing for her to consider that she was married to Kíli. How and when did she become so lucky? He was in the kitchen wearing only the breaches he wore at the wedding, which hung loosely from his hips, his bare back was exposed to her and his dark hair hung to his shoulder blades. He was at the stove frying some eggs and potatoes for breakfast, biscuits and fresh fruit was already plated on the table waiting for the rest of the food to be ready.

"You have spoiled me Kíli son of Sevrin," Rylee whispered as she stepped behind him burying her face into the hair at the nape of his neck. She put her hands on his hips, just above his low hung breaches, keeping behind him, away from the flames of the stove.

"How so my love?" Kíli growled softly, he put down the wood spoon he was using and put his hands over hers. Feeling her against him stirred his lust; he would never get enough of her.

"You mean other than cooking for me, taking care of me, and loving me?" Rylee chuckled softly, dropping kisses along his neck and shoulders. "I may never again be able to sleep without you."

"Hmm you noticed that I left?" Kíli was certain that she was sleeping soundly when he rose and came downstairs. He was hoping to give her breakfast in bed but she was here behind him, wearing a soft silk robe that brushed softly against his skin as she snuggled against his back.

She made a noise of agreement as she nipped his shoulder and then kissed the same spot. She raised her head and nuzzled into the back of his ear and breathed, "The moment you moved away."

"Hmm I am not certain if I should be honored or concerned by this news," Kíli said as the whistle on the kettle started singing, he took it off the flame and moved to fill two cups filled with herbs. One was chamomile for him and the other was her strengthening tea. Rylee was still underweight and he wanted to make sure she was hale before they went back out on the road. Since the tea seemed to make her appetite greater he was taking the advantage of feeding her wholesome foods that were sure to help her gain back what she lost in the forge.

"Oh?" Rylee asked pulling lightly on his braids, the only braids he wore in his hair. She stepped away so he could work unencumbered and stood beside the table.

"Aye, you see the War Maiden of the Valar is fiercely independent, to be needed by her would be no small feat," Kíli chuckled softly, teasing her. He pulled the pan off the stove and pushed potatoes and eggs onto the plates with his wooden spoon. He grinned at her and she smiled back at the sight of his cheekiness. "It is a great honor to be desired by such a strong Dwarrowdam. She does not take kindly to interference and over protectiveness, you see. It would not do for her to be so horribly spoiled, how would she possibly cope if something should keep her apart from her love for even a single night?"

"She shall hope that it never comes to pass," Rylee whispered huskily. Kíli shuttered the burners of the stove and let the flames die down within the oven. Then he joined her at the table. "She doesn't even want to consider the possibility of being apart from her love."

"I am going to be selfish and say that I love this need in you Rylee," Kíli pulled her into his arms and captured her lips with his. He caressed her through her silk robe, his hands gripping her bottom and lifting her against him. "Especially since I hate being away from you even for a few moments to make you breakfast. The only reason I got up was because a certain part of you was making a fuss in your sleep."

She moaned softly as his hands roamed over her bottom, hips, and lower back. Then her stomach growled and she laughed as Kíli smiled down at her, "Aye that is the noise it was making, loud and voracious it was, and considering what I want to do to you before this day ends, it cannot be making such a fuss."

Kíli released her and guided her smoothly into her chair before turning back to set a small bowl of cut fruit and berries on the edge of each plate. He pulled out some fresh cream that was being kept cold in a basin filled with ice. Not for the first time since arriving in Imladris Rylee wondered how they were able to keep ice in the middle of summer, she looked up at Kíli as he poured the cream over the freshly cut fruit. "So, how do they keep the ice frozen?"

"It is collected during the winter and stored in a shed in the darkest, coldest corner of the town. At least that is how we do it in our village in Ered Luin," Kíli explained to her and Rylee listened intently. He set the bowl of fruit down in front of Rylee and watched as she used her fingers to pull out a cream covered berry and pop it into her mouth. He swallowed thickly as he watched her little pink tongue curl around it before her white teeth snapped shut. He cleared his throat and went on as he turned back to his task, "During the coldest months, when the rivers are frozen over, the workers will go out on the ice and cut out large blocks and stack them on a large sledge. They haul the ice back into town and take it to the ice shed. Once the shed is filled with large blocks of ice the workers will pack straw around it to keep it insulated from the heat of the summer. If done properly a town can provide ice to the people for the entire summer until the next snowfall."

"That is fascinating," Rylee said softly looking up at him. She took another bite and chewed it while thinking. Once she swallowed she looked back at him and pursed her lips, then she told him, "We wouldn't have been able to do that in the First Age, there was neither time nor manpower in order to do such things. We were constantly in the midst of one battle or another. There was always some greater trouble that needed to be taken care of before such things could be accomplished. Strengthening the defenses of a city or town were always the most important tasks."

Kili was rifling through the cupboards and countertops to get cutlery and napkins. He was certainly getting to know the layout of the kitchen well, while Rylee had no clue where anything was or where things belonged. He cursed a couple of times as he moved things around so that they would function better, muttering under his breath that the counter space was inadequate and that there was not near enough storage. The pantry was too small and badly in need of modification.

"I apologize for the layout of the kitchen, if it is bad," Rylee said as she took the fork he offered her.

"Why?" Kíli asked curiously watching his wife take a bite of her food. Her eyes fluttered closed as she savored the taste of the potatoes and eggs. He loved watching her, her every movement was like watching magic happen. When she opened her eyes and saw that he was watching her she blushed softly with embarrassment. "Why would you feel the need to apologize?"

"I designed it. I don't know enough about kitchens to plan one properly and when I made the blueprints for the house, I was not certain where anything should go," Rylee admitted softly, the blush in her cheeks burned from the inside under his watchful gaze. "The only things that Elrond really changed when the place was built were the Forge, which would have been magnificent, and the bathroom upstairs. The indoor pipes, heated water and privies, they are wonderful inventions. I didn't know such things could exist in Middle-Earth."

"Really? Do they have them in Valinor?" Kíli asked with interest as he took his first bite.

"I suppose, in a way, everything is built with magic," Rylee said with a small frown, thinking back to her home in Mahal's Mansion. "The principles are much the same but they are different as well. I understand the Elves knowing about some of the things that Mahal has come up with, but they did not have such things in the First Age. In fact everything was very primitive, even in the great cities, like Menegroth and Gondolin. The privies were out of doors, or in dark closets with large pails that had to be cleaned out daily. Water was hauled in by hand, boiled over the fire and poured into tubs that were barely the size of a body. Doriath had these great public baths, which were made from the natural hot pools in the caves of Menegroth. Gondolin had also had public baths, but the water was hauled in by these massive buckets strung on a cable. Smaller villages did not have such amenities. We definitely didn't have access to ice in the heat of the summer."

"How did you survive Rylee? We both know how much you enjoy your baths," Kíli said teasing her again.

"It was not fun," Rylee smirked and rolled her eyes in answer to his question. He pushed her plate towards her, silently telling her to finish eating. She took a bite and washed it down with her tea. Then she continued with the conversation, "There were times that I was lucky if I got to bathe once in the month, much less every few days like I have been. Being saturated in dragon's blood for weeks on end is not even somewhat amusing considering that it is acidic to most people, and the stench lingers if not washed right away. There were times that I had to do a burn in order to get the worst of the filth off. I would rather be covered with ash than Troll snot, Balrog piss, Orc shit, or Dragon blood."

Kíli groaned as he took a bite of food shaking his head slowly in amusement, "Great visual Rylee."

"The saliva of Werewolves is the worst, it actually sticks to the skin and reeks to high heaven," Rylee went on. Her face was a mask of complete disgust, "Imagine rotting dog breath mixed with chicken shit and rotten eggs. It is actually worse than that Troll hoard we found."

"Sounds quite pleasant," Kíli said sarcastically and Rylee grinned at him as she took a sip of her tea.

"So very pleasant," Rylee said as she finished her food and sat back in her chair. She was tracing her finger on the edge of the table, from the nearly vacant look on her face he knew that she was remembering him taking her on the table the day before. He caught her hand under his and watched as a soft pink blush filled her cheeks. She looked up at him and smiled softly.

"That explains the incessant need to bathe," Kíli smirked at her. Her eyes were saying much more intimate things, and asking entirely different questions. His heart stopped as he watched her. He once wondered why she made such a fuss, but after knowing her intimately, he knew just how sensitive her skin was. She was so completely receptive to the lightest of touches. If Rylee had anything to do with it, the bathtub would soon become one of his favorite places in the house. "I take it that you are already planning out the bathroom for our own halls?"

"Aye, I have already checked out all the plumbing in this house to see how it works. I will have to add that to the next drawings we make," Rylee grinned sheepishly, unable to help herself. There was once a time that she would never have thought of the future but now it was all that kept her going. Every hope was for what might come after. She could not bear to think about her nightmares, or the fact that she could fail in her quest.

"Rylee, when we reach Erebor we will likely be living within the mountain, I will have to create halls for us to live in. What do you want in a home?" Kíli asked her softly. He knew that this was a hard subject for her. She never thought of the future other than trying to see whatever path she needed to take in order to succeed in her quest. Anything beyond that was undiscovered and completely unknown to her. She told him once that she never planned for the future since she didn't know if she would survive the day.

"I planned this one on a whim," Rylee raised her hand and waved it over her shoulder indicating the house they were living in. "I don't know why but it felt right to draw it. I had time that night since I was locked away and under guard until Kaia and Rohinna could come back to help me escape. Now seeing it in person and finished, it is nice but it is in a style that Mahal is very fond of. It is right that it is called the House of Aulë."

"That does not answer my question," Kíli said softly as he watched Rylee rise from the table and start cleaning up the dishes. He followed behind her and wrapped his arms around her as she stood in front of the sink. She leaned back against him as the water filled the basin.

"This might seem strange but when I was a child I used to have this dream, back when I had real dreams," Rylee said turning off the water and then turning in Kíli's arms so she could look up at him. "As a child it seemed strange to me that the place was underground, but I remember walking down lit passages of green marble flecked with gold and jewels. I came upon a wide set of Ebony doors and when I opened them they opened into a great foyer, a meeting place for visitors. It was a large room and had high vaulted ceilings and the thick glass windows rose from the floor to the roof, letting in beautiful natural light. Just to the right of the door it housed a washroom and a privy just within the doors so that mud and filth would not be tracked into the home. To the right of the washroom were the dining halls and the kitchen. To the left of the main doors was a massive set of stairs that led to the private family quarters and beyond the staircase was a family room with a massive hearth, where family would gather for company and song. Further to the left was a study with a small library."

Rylee looked up at Kíli and fell into his eyes, deep dark loving eyes that she could not live without. He kissed her and pressed her back into the cupboards behind her. It was unhurried, gentle, and sweet. Soft and drugging kisses that made her moan in growing desire. Kíli broke away and nipped her ear playfully as he whispered, "Keep going Rylee, what do you want upstairs? Tell me what you dreamed about."

"Kíli you make this really difficult, I don't want to talk, I want to kiss," Rylee sighed as she tried to bring her mind back to the conversation. It was not easy since Kíli's hands were pulling stray hairs out from inside her robe and combing through the long tresses, stirring her want for him.

"But I want to know what you want Rylee," Kíli whispered as his hands moved to play with the collar of her robe, "tell me what you want in a home, our home."

Rylee gripped the top of Kíli's breaches as his fingers traced up and down the collar of her robe, teasing her as he occasionally brushed against her collar bones and sternum. Her hands shook as she raised them to settle over his, stilling his progress. She growled at him, "If you want to know, stop tormenting me Kíli. I cannot think when you do that."

Kíli chuckled softly and dropped a light kiss on her nose making her crinkle it. He said nothing as he waited for her to continue, "Like the lower floor, every room in the upper floor has windows from floor to ceiling. At the top of the stairs is another study. The adjoining room is the master bedroom. It shares its hearth with the study to save on space considering the rooms are joined. There is a massive four poster bed with soft transparent silk curtains for in the summer to keep the insects out and heavy velvet curtains tied back for the cold winter months. There are dozens of thick down filled pillows and heavy quilts and furs covering the silk sheets on the down mattress."

"Your dream was very detailed Rylee, I want to make love to you in that bed," Kíli whispered making her shiver against him. "Keep going."

Rylee moved her hands back to their previous place at his waist, gripping the top of his breaches as she leaned into him. She hummed softly in agreement and continued, "Beyond that is a massive walkthrough wardrobe and dressing room with enough space for clothes and weapons, a vanity to prepare for formal events and past that there is a massive bathroom with a privy and wash-up area. Further in is the marble tub with the plumbing of the Third Age. It is large and will fit both of us with ease. The blue gems and stones that tile the floors and walls glitter in the light of the glass stone walls during the day and at night the built in lanterns light the room making it look like everything is glittering in gold facets."

"Why does it not surprise me that our bathroom is as splendid and spectacular as the bedroom?" Kíli pulled his fingers gently through her hair making her moan softly.

"The first room down the hall is the nursery, the hearth is small, just enough to warm the room in the winter months. It has a small crib and a tots bed, there is a rocking chair for nursing and a change table and a wardrobe to hold all of the nappies, blankets, and Onesies," Rylee said huskily her mind moved to the idea of having children and what it would be like to hold a bairn in her arms. "The next room is the playroom, it has a rocking horse, and a jumper. Blocks, carvings, and too many toys to count are scattered along the floor waiting to be played with or picked up. There is a small desk for studies and drawing, a thick carpet for floor play, a pair of chairs for us to sit and watch our Dwarflings play together. Farther down the hall are our children's bedrooms, each with their own bath chambers for when they are older and require the privacy."

"How many?" Kíli's hand dipped to the vee of her neckline slowly dragging it lower, his lips suckled softly at her throat. His fingers brushed to just below her ribcage to the top of her abs where he tugged at the cord that held the robe closed and let it fall open so he could run his hand down Rylee's belly. He let his fingers spread over her flat stomach where one day he would feel and see his bairn growing, safe under the heart of his beautiful wife. "How many Dwarflings will you allow me to give you?"

"As many as we want, until we decide together that our home is filled enough," Rylee whispered softly, moaning in response as Kíli nipped her collar bone.

"We should practice making Dwarflings," Kíli suggested playfully.

Rylee chuckled just as a knock sounded on the door. Kíli groaned in annoyance and Rylee sighed as Kíli closed her robe around her and refastened the tie. Rohinna stepped inside, her eyes sweeping around and spied them in the kitchen, Kíli pressing Rylee against the counter. Rohinna smirked as she said, "Well at least you two are partially dressed this time."

"What have you brought us today Rohinna?" Rylee asked disregarding the comment. "We hardly need any more food, we have more than enough already in the pantry and Kíli is a wonderful cook."

She didn't want to be reminded of Rohinna finding the pair of them entwined in a pile of pillows and blankets in front of the main hearth the day before. She blushed furiously despite her attempt to brush off the teasing tone in Rohinna's voice. Kíli, on the other hand, merely chuckled softly as Rohinna stepped inside to leave the basket on the table.

"Fresh berries and more cream because you always eat those first, and the healer insisted that you should have more tea. The ladies up at the main house insisted on adding some sweets to the basket this time. There is an assortment of sweet biscuits and cakes. I found you a bottle of Fire Wine, with a pair of glasses." Rohinna grinned at them as she caught Kíli smirk and Rylee wince at the mention of Fire Wine. She wondered if Rylee told Kíli of her Last Night and her complete drunken state. Rohinna was certain he would enjoy learning what Rylee got up to with the other ladies. "Thorin added Kíli's dagger. Jovina put in the silver goblet that was used for the blood ceremony. Jovina says that it is to go on your mantle when you have a home and a hearth. Otherwise it is just fresh linens and towels when you have a moment to change them out."

Rohinna chuckled at Rylee's flush of embarrassment at the mention of dirty sheets. Kíli eyed the basket with a sly grin and Rohinna took that as her cue to leave. She turned away, picked up the empty basket from where the couple had placed it by the door, and looked at the pair, "Kíli, I am to remind you that your belongings will be brought over from the Company quarters first thing tomorrow morning and you both are expected for breakfast. I took the liberty of gathering your travel clothes and took them to the laundress to be washed. They will be with your belongings tomorrow."

"Rohinna, how is Lerain?" Rylee asked quietly from the safe circle of Kíli's arms. Rohinna looked at Kíli with a small amount of distrust and then back at Rylee. Rylee sighed and promised, "I will not keep secrets from my husband. Kíli will not breathe a word of what he hears, on my honor."

After a long moment of calculated hesitation Rohinna admitted, "She is as to be expected for someone who has experienced what she has. Though Jovina may not have helped by telling her that if she didn't get out of bed she would become breeding stock for Orcs."

"By the bloody balls of a Balrog's bitch! She did not! Why in the name of all is holy would she say something so wildly inappropriate?" Rylee groaned in frustration as she buried her head in Kíli's shoulder. Kíli tried not to chuckle at her streaming curse, he did not even think that that was anatomically possible. She looked up at him as he soothingly rubbed her back.

"I think she was trying to shock Lerain into moving forward," Rohinna smirked watching Rylee bite her lip in thought and Kíli's arms tightened around her.

"Does Lerain at least have the sense to realize that Orcs don't rape Elves? Humans yes, but not Elves," Rylee said with a note of exasperation. Kíli looked at her in question and she told him, "Orcs hate Elven kind, they will torture them to death, watch them bleed, and will even go so far as to eat their flesh, but because the first Orcs were made from the defiled bodies and souls of Elves, they will not rape them. Jovina knows better."

"It may not have been appropriate Rylee, but it worked, it got Lerain out of bed and into the training field," Rohinna chided softly. They both knew that Jovina could be very straightforward but she only said what needed to be said. "You know as well as I do that she probably just spoke out loud Lerain's own personal fears. Apparently her true path was destined to be pretty dark."

"I can only imagine one worse fate," Rylee whispered hoarsely, "it could not have been good if that horror story was the lighter alternative."

"What do you mean Love? That is a pretty dark path, what could be worse?" Kíli asked softly, speaking up for the first time since the change in subject.

"For any Elf, aligning oneself with Sauron or Morgoth is a fate worse than death, it is considered a traitor's path," Rylee sighed and looked at Rohinna, "It would bring upon her the curse of Maeglin, meaning that she would die young and without honor. Upon death she would be sent to the Timeless Void with Morgoth rather than the Halls of Waiting with the rest of her kin. Jovina would rather use Lerain's nightmares as motivation than tell her the truth of her path if she falls into darkness."

"What would you have told her Rylee?" Rohinna asked, she already knew the answer but she wanted to hear Rylee say it aloud.

"The truth, the horrible brutal truth, and then I would have physically hauled her arse out of bed," Rylee grumbled and rolled her eyes. They both knew how well that went over with Jovina years before.

"You say Jovina can be harsh and forthright, but you are just as bad as she. At least Jovina gave her the choice and Lerain took it," Rohinna chided again. Rylee could be just as brutal as Jovina, just in a different way, but both always did as they felt was best.

"I suppose," Rylee huffed softly then changed the subject, "How does her training go?"

"She had no interest in anything that we have taught her, but she is essentially a natural in the basic fighting techniques," Rohinna told her with a small smile. If Rylee had anything to say about it Lerain would be a master before the week was over. "Now, I had better go before your cheeky brother thinks that my extended stay is leave for him to come bother you."

"Has he really been that bad?" Kíli chuckled softly a smile lifting his lips.

"And then some, Thorin has had to deter him more than a few times over the past two days," Rohinna laughed as she moved to the door.

As soon as the door closed, Kíli opened the basket and put away the berries and cream, the sweets were put aside as well. Rylee took the clean bedding from the basket and carried it upstairs, she set to work removing the dirty bedding from the thick down mattress and remaking the bed with the clean linens. When she was done she gathered all of the laundry and placed it all into the large hamper in the washroom. When she went back into the bedroom, Kíli's belongings were still on the floor and Kíli was setting the glasses up on the small table near the bed and opening the bottle of Fire Wine. The Goblet and the dagger were with his other clothes on the floor in front of one of the wardrobes.

"You know that you can use the wardrobe, here, we can just push my clothing to the side." Rylee said as she opened it for him, pushing aside the clothes to make room for his belongings. She put the chalice and the dagger on top of her black satchel as he hung his tunic and jacket into the wardrobe.

"This place is just temporary Rylee," Kíli said as he watched his bride straighten his things beside hers, "Does it really matter where I put my things?"

Rylee looked at him in surprise, her brow furrowed in confusion. It didn't matter to her that it was only temporary, she was used to picking up and moving at any moment, it mattered more that she was comfortable wherever she was. Rylee was used to making a space her own, Kíli was part of that, if he was not comfortable or happy then she saw it as failure as his wife. "This place may be temporary, but for now it is home, our home, we may as well make ourselves comfortable."

"Hmm, you do have a point," Kíli agreed softly as he turned and pulled her against him, kissing her deeply. "You said I was the one spoiling you, but I am certain that it is you who is spoiling me."

"I am certain that we spoil each other Kíli, I would give you the world if you wished it," Rylee promised him softly.

"My only wish is to see you happy and give you your unsung wishes," Kíli growled as he held her possessively against him. "A home, a hearth-fire, a babe at your breast, I will do everything I can to give it all to you."

"Hmm, what were you saying earlier about practice?" Rylee purred against his lips, her fingernails scratching a path up his arms, over his shoulders, and into his hair.

* * *

He watched her, Thorin did not know why he did, but he found her interesting and confusing. Each day she would take time at the Healing Halls, he did not know what she went there for and there was no way that he would ask. He knew she would then take her breakfast on the terrace with the group of Elven maidens that seemed to be hovering around her, after which Jovina would spend the remainder of the afternoon in the training yard with the little harpist and Rohinna. Her evenings were spent in the massive Elven library. He didn't know why it mattered that he knew these things, he just made it his business to know her whereabouts. Thorin refused to believe that it was out of concern, perhaps it was because she spent so much time with the bloody Elves.

Thorin had no problem with Elihara and her daughter but he wondered why Jovina seemed to be so comfortable with Galadriel and Rohinna, or why the harp player seemed to be hanging around her. He did not trust Elves and she seemed to be more comfortable with them than her own kin. Every day the Dwarves would offer up some sort of amusement to her and she would kindly decline. His first reaction was to become angry that she was choosing the Elves over the Company, but as he watched her he was beginning to realize that it was not just the Dwarves that she was avoiding. She avoided interactions with anyone that she did not already know from the First Age. She avoided Lord Elrond and most of the other elves that lived within his halls, yet she would speak to Glorfindel and Cirdan. Elorin she was close to but she was not as warm with Elihara or Kalyna, she kept them at a distance. The harpist was the only exception to this rule.

Jovina's comment that the Dwarves in this Age kept better care of their women folk then they did in the First Age made him wonder why she would say such a thing. What happened to her that she would shun the Clan of her father? Were the Southern Orocarni Dwarves like the Dwarves of Nogrod? Did they not follow the laws of Mahal in the First Age? Why would she leave the safety of her kin? Why would she forsake her King? Or was it a deception on her part that caused them to leave her? Could it have been her strange magic? He had to admit that her powers were different than that of other dwarves, but all dwarves held power of some sort. Even he could wield a Rune Stone and place an enchantment on his crafts when he felt so inspired, the only difference was the intensity of the power. Jovina's powers were much more dominant and intimidating than any other Dwarf or Dwarrowdam Thorin ever met. He did not include Rylee in that, she was the daughter of the Valar and her magic was otherworldly.

His eyes followed the Seer as she taught the basic movements of staff combat to Lerain, demonstrating her movements in an attack on Elihara. Jovina was obviously a master in the art of the battle staff and her form equaled that of Oin's. She was fluid in movement, followed through with her strikes, and was quick to parry in defense. She was cunning, quick, and agile. Every hit was solid and her attacks were well thought out. She spun into and out of several tight situations where a lesser warrior would have fallen. She was graceful and athletic, like a dancer, so much so that she resembled Rylee when the younger girl was using her whip. Many of her movements mirrored Rylee's so much that Thorin knew that Rylee was the one who taught her.

Elihara and Elorin's daughter Kalyna was nearby watching the session carefully, using a staff of her own and following along with the lesson. It was obvious that Kalyna was only there to assist Lerain by being a sparring partner and to add a few new techniques to her already impressive knowledge of weaponry. Lerain on the other hand was unskilled, though she did have some natural grace to her movement, and seemed much more confident with the Battle Staff than she did with any of the other weapons.

"She is too stiff. She should relax into her stance. Of all the weapons she has tried, this one is the one she seems to enjoy the most. It still looks wrong though, like there is something missing," Dwalin observed. After watching the ladies trying to teach the young Elf maid for the past two and a half days, he noticed that while she had a natural skill for fighting and she tried a variety of weapons, not one seemed to keep her attention for long. Her desire to learn any weapon was obviously lacking, this was the first time that she seemed to hold interest in what she was learning. "They are not going to get her to learn with a weapon she has no desire to hold. It would be like trying to teach Kíli to use a mattock. He hates the bloody things. He will take axe, sword, or bow over a mattock any day."

"They have tried every weapon the elves have to offer and this is the one weapon that she seems to have warmed up to, and other than the fact that it is too light and too long for her hand she seems have a natural aptitude for it. She needs something heavier. Perhaps I should suggest it to Jovina," Thorin shook his head with a small sigh. He wondered for a moment why he even cared. Perhaps it was because Jovina was putting so much of her own time into helping the girl learn even the basics of self-defense. His eyes and his thoughts wandered back to the blonde dwarrowdam.

"You don't think we insulted her somehow do you?" Dwalin asked watching the women as they worked on teaching the younger girl. He seemed to be following Thorin's train of thought, "She has not accepted a single invitation to join us since she arrived. The boys are all curious about Rylee's friend and she constantly turns us down."

"I have no idea Dwalin," Thorin frowned before turning to his second oldest friend. "She seemed fine the day she arrived other than seeming a little worn down from her journey, which is to be expected. The day of the wedding she seemed a little more somber and really tense, which I do not understand, it was a wedding for crying out loud. She should have been in higher spirits."

"Jovina hovered near the little maid most of the night and now she seems to be taking the Elf-Maid under her wing, almost like a duck with her chick," Dwalin grumbled unhappily. In his opinion she should have been trying to get to know the Company of Dwarves that she was insisting on joining, but other than a short quick introduction to them she said little and rarely even made eye contact with any of them. Holding a conversation with her was nigh on impossible and yet she was spending hours out of her day with a young Elf maid that she just met.

"Aye, did you notice that most of the Elves seemed a bit preoccupied that night, nowhere near as festive as they were the night we arrived," Balin agreed. Balin was Thorin's longest friend, he was wise beyond words and while his eyes were not the keenest, they were still sharp in observance of others.

"Something is up, I do not know what," Thorin said with a small hint of suspicion and doubt. Were they already aware of their quest? Were they already setting a plan into place to stop the Company from continuing on? When Lord Elrond first looked at the map he seemed disgruntled by the fact that the map was that of Erebor, he didn't say much other than the moon runes on the map could only be read on the light of the moon on Mid-Summers Eve. Thorin did not think much of it since Rylee said that they would only be able to be read on the night of the same moon under which they were written. "Between her sudden appearance and then this gathering of the White council, it just seems to be too much of a coincidence. I can think of no reason for Cirdan to be here, unless he followed us."

"We told no one of our quest. Until that night at Bilbo's we were not even sure it was feasible," Balin shook his head in frustration. "We didn't even know of the existence of the map and key."

"I don't like it here," Dwalin said in frustration, "I would much prefer to be back on the road headed to Erebor than staying with these pointy eared folk. It is too quiet, I cannot sleep properly, and they still insist on us eating that green stuff before giving us the real food."

"We will move on soon enough Dwalin," Balin said with a knowing smirk, he knew just how his younger brother felt. "First we must find out what this Lord Elrond knows or if he can even help us. Though I really do not trust him Thorin, I do not think we should let him read our map, much less see it. These are our family secrets, Khudz secrets, we should not be sharing them with outsiders."

"I feel much the same Balin," Thorin sighed looking at his friends. He knew that the map was part of their treasures and should be kept as such, yet they needed to know how to find the door and no one else seemed to be able to read the map. Lord Elrond took one look and could tell them what night they were meant to read it. He told himself once again that Rylee trusted Lord Elrond and thus far the Elf Lord had not once led him astray or tried to deceive him. "We will wait until Mid-Summers Eve and see what is in store for us. Whatever these Elves have planned, we must be ready to depart on that very night. If they try to detain us we will be ready, if not, then we will finish our preparations once we know what secrets the map is hiding within its runes."

"I still don't like it," Dwalin growled lowly, "Are you planning to take the lass with you? She knows these folk, she might be able to sway them in the right direction."

"Aye. Rylee, Balin, and I will go. For some reason Gandalf wants Bilbo there as well." Thorin said rolling his eyes at the thought of the Hobbit. So far the only thing that the Halfling had been able to do well was cook and stall for time at the troll camp. He would grudgingly give him that, even though Rylee ended up doing the heavy hitting along with Gandalf. He hoped that the Wizard was correct and Bilbo would be able to retrieve the Arkenstone without waking the dragon. Other than a curious mind and another pair of keen eyes, Bilbo seemed almost useless. He could barely wield the dagger he was using as a sword, he could not hunt, and other than some accuracy throwing rocks, he seemed to have no skills as a warrior. He was most definitely more of a Grocer than a Burglar.

Thorin's eyes moved back to Jovina. He watched her correct Lerain's stance once again and then watched as she moved through movements with Elihara, offering corrections as they moved against each other in slow motion, then showing her movements that would be better suited to her taller body. Lerain was picking it up fairly quickly and Thorin could not help his grudging respect for the young Elf-Maiden.

"She is pretty good with that staff," Dwalin said as he leaned against the wall of the training field. "Do you think she could beat Oin?"

"I am not certain, but if I were to make a bet then I would have to place my money on Jovina," Thorin said with a wry grin, "She has him beat by youth and energy alone. She is fluid in motion and her attacks are rarely telegraphed by excessive movement. From the looks of it, she has a good deal of power behind her attacks."

"Oin knows his weapon like the back of his hand and has the body weight to do a great deal of damage," Balin reminded him as they watched as Jovina used her own staff and sparred with Elihara. She was showing the Elf maids what a real battle with a staff could look like when suddenly she used a sequence of movements that Thorin only ever witnessed Rylee use once before. Elihara was on her back, her staff was several feet away and Jovina's staff stopped an inch away from crushing the Dwarrow-Elf's heart.

"What was that?" Dwalin asked watching the match. Jovina disarmed the larger Dwarrow-Elf maiden within seconds, using a sequence of steps and blocks that were almost too quick to see.

"I have only ever seen Rylee do that move, she must have taught it to Jovina," Thorin breathed in surprise. It was a move that Rylee created and perfected in her training. Mahal told him that Rylee effectively used it to take down Tulkas three times before he caught on to her footwork, blocks, and strikes. She disarmed him the fourth time because she changed the sequence and caught him off guard. Tulkas didn't say a word to her, nor she to him, instead Tulkas stalked off the field. Thorin thought that the Vala was angry but as he passed by, Thorin noticed that Tulkas wore a proud smile. She did as she was taught and disarmed and defeated her opponent, Tulkas respected her for that.

Fíli approached the ladies on the field and within moments he was using Jovina's Battle staff and sparring directly with Lerain, his movements slow and steady as she worked through the strikes that Jovina was calling out to her. Thorin watched his nephew carefully, most people would think him just another cheeky arrogant Dwarf but Thorin knew better. There was a reason that Thorin made Fíli the Elven Emissary for the Dwarves, he was showing it while in Rivendell. There were several times he was the one to step in to clear up disputes in the market.

Fíli was much more intelligent than he let on, while he was a strong warrior, scout, and hunter, he was also a born leader, he knew when to take charge and when to step back. He was always willing to help his fellow dwarves, and would stand and defend their cause to the death if need be. He was also well spoken and diplomatic, yet he was steadfast in his defense of Dwarven culture and their livelihoods. His cheeky grin and quiet manner tended to put others at ease and it seemed that his charm was not wasted on the skittish Elf lass. She smiled at his jokes and her stance relaxed enough to show her fluid grace and movement making her strikes that much more effective.

Jovina smiled at the turn of events and gave instruction to both Fíli and Lerain as they moved together. Elihara stepped up to Kalyna and they paired up to follow along with Jovina's impromptu group session.

"Oin has battle experience Thorin. Jovina would not have that, would she?" Balin asked softly, thoughtfully.

"She does, Jovina fought beside us in the battle for Gondolin," Glorfindel said as he and Elorin stepped up beside them. They watched as Jovina turned back to Kalyna and Lerain to teach them some more movements. "She is a warrior and she may only be master of the one weapon but with it she is deadly. She is battle ready, even when wounded as she is."

"She is what?" Thorin growled his hackles rising. He was put off by the fact that he had not heard the pair approach and the fact that they overheard their conversation. His eyes swiveled from the tall blonde Elf to the small blonde Dwarrowdam, scrutinizing her movements for any signs of weakness. It took him several minutes before he detected the slight limp on her left side. This news bode ill, she should not be fighting wounded, not when they were a week away from departing this place, she should be resting.

"When we spied her on our patrols to the south, she was fighting alone against Orcs on Warg-back. She killed several, but before we could reach her, she was taken down and thrown around by a Warg," Glorfindel told them, his eyes glittered brightly as he watched Jovina teach Lerain the ways of the battle staff. "She was badly bitten, I did what I could on the road, but she needs time to rest and recover. Warg saliva can be deadly because of the toxins in it, but I was able to stop its taint before we returned to Rivendell."

"That would be why she has been visiting the Healing Halls each morning," Thorin stated, glowering at the small blonde Dwarrowdam in the field. He did not care for the idea of her travelling with them in the first place, for her to insist on travelling with them while injured was irresponsible of her. For him to allow it would be even worse. Jovina was a Dwarf, she belonged with them, but he would not be much of a King if he allowed her to come to harm. He was torn between honoring her quest as well as her duty to both Eru and Rylee, and his own honor of protecting the rare and precious Dwarrowdam that she obviously was.

"She hides it well," Elorin shook his head and looked down at Thorin, Balin and Dwalin. All three of them looked quite upset about the woman being injured.

"Why would you tell us this?" Thorin asked suddenly, not seeing why the Elf would bother to care about the small Dwarrow Seer. As much as Rylee trusted the Elves of Rivendell, Thorin could not find it in himself to leave Jovina in their protection. She would be better off amongst her own kin, where she could be protected and welcomed.

"You are the leader of the Company are you not?" Glorfindel said with a small smirk. He probably should not have told Thorin about her injury, but Glorfindel thought that as the leader of his Company he should know that she was wounded. "As such you should know when one of your people is unfit for travel."

"Durin's beard!" Dwalin growled in frustration. He didn't like this Elf sticking his nose into their business, but he liked the knowledge of the little Dwarrowdam's injury even less. "We already have one War Maiden upsetting the ranks by putting herself in danger, we don't need another one."

"I do not think you need to worry about that," Glorfindel mused looking back at Jovina. She raised her eyes and her black gaze met his. Pursing her lips, she scowled at him, obviously she knew the direction of the conversation. "Jovina is not like Rylee, she fights only to defend and will not go hunting for trouble. She will stay within the protection of the group."

"You seem to know her well," Thorin narrowed his gaze at the tall blonde Elf before him. Just how well did he know her? Perhaps he was wrong about her involvement with the elves. What if her relationships with them were not as benign as he thought they were? He did not like how cozy she seemed to be with this Elf or Cirdan, especially since she seemed to be brushing off any attempts by the Dwarves to get to know her.

"Hardly, Jovina and Rylee were only in Gondolin for a few months. They arrived about six months before the attack on the city. I still do not know how Rylee convinced Turgon to allow Jovina to stay. Dwarves were not allowed within the walls. I was merely stating my opinion of her behavior during the Fall of Gondolin," Glorfindel told them as he watched the ladies practice. Kalyna was sparring with Lerain now, learning the moves as she helped the young elleth. He admired her movements, her grace, and her kindness as she corrected Lerain. Her hair was pulled back away from her face and he could not help but admire her long black eyelashes as they curled up framing her pale blue eyes. He pushed the thoughts away. He was much too old for her and her father was one of his closest friends, he reminded himself.

Thorin thought Glorfindel was being rather flippant and he was not in the mood to deal with haughty Elf Lords. 'These Elves and their impossible life spans,' he thought bitterly. It might be easier to like them if they did not tend to use their great age to look down on the younger folk. He turned to Elorin and asked, "Elorin, how is work at the forge? Are you still trying to catch up from the week Rylee put you out?"

Elorin grinned at him and nodded, "Aye, that girl of yours chose my busiest week to lock me out. It will take a few weeks to catch up on what has been missed."

"Perhaps I can help you catch up," Thorin offered. He met the surprised look from Glorfindel with a quirk of his brow before turning back to Elorin, "I have nothing better to keep myself occupied, besides I would feel much more comfortable here if I felt like I was contributing something of value."

"I will gladly accept your assistance Master Dwarf," Elorin nodded offering his hand to Thorin. They clasped hands in a form of warrior grip meant for masters of craft engaging in an exchange of services. He was curious about Thorin's skill in the forge. If it was anything close to his expertise in battle then his assistance would be gladly appreciated.

"That is our cue brother," Balin said smacking Dwalin heartily on the shoulder. He smirked at Thorin. "We have some thick string to buy and some knots to tie before this evening is over."

"Aye, I shall have to round up the lads if we are to have everything ready for the morning," Dwalin said with a small smile. The brothers moved off calling out to any of the Dwarves that were still lingering in the training field but not actively sparring.

Thorin waited for Balin and Dwalin to move off towards the main house before he turned to Glorfindel and Elorin, "What has happened amongst the Elves that has caused such tension? Is it our presence here? Have there been reports of ill behavior amongst my men?"

"No Thorin, it is not the presence of the dwarves that has caused discord within our community. Other than a few miffed merchants unused to the negotiation skills of Dwarves, there have been no complaints," Glorfindel said patiently, hiding his surprise as he looked at Thorin. He didn't realize that it was so apparent that there was something wrong. Then again, while the wedding was a happy affair it was hardly boisterous, only the Dwarves truly seemed to immerse themselves in the celebration.

Lord Elrond and Lady Galadriel were obviously affected for something so horrible to have happened so close to the sanctuary of Imladris. The entire incident brought back all of the horrible memories of Celebrian for both of them and the emotional strain was showing. Elladan and Elrohir, who were not the most vivacious of Elves in the first place, were trying their hardest to hide their frustration and anger for the sake of Lerain and Rylee. The twins left the day after the wedding to investigate the campsite of the men and to capture any who were found. They were not yet returned from their trip and there were a few who were becoming worried about the delay in their return. Lerain was obviously the most impacted and from what he understood, the elleth had not cried since she was released from the healing halls. Her parents and Daeron were greatly concerned for her. Luckily Rohinna was staying with Lerain and the older Elf Maid seemed to have a great understanding of what Lerain needed to get past her suffering and her nightmares.

"Then my suspicion is correct that there is something happening with the young harp player that has caused concern," Thorin met Glorfindel's eyes. He waited for the Elf to deny it. They may have been able to hold a civil conversation, but Thorin was still not willing to trust him.

"Out of respect for what happened to Lerain, I will not tell you anything other than you are correct," Glorfindel returned the stare. Both Gandalf and Lord Elrond told him about Thorin's past history with Elves. He understood that from those few unfortunate encounters a distrust for Elven folk grew and blossomed. Cirdan also said that there were several disputes and sour encounters between the Elves and Durin's Folk in Ered Luin, which only proved to cement the rift between the two races. They were lucky that Thorin had the wisdom to place Fíli in a role of Advisor and Emissary between the two races, since he had the tolerance that Thorin lacked. Even with Fíli's involvement, it would take years and patience to resurrect any positive communication with the Dwarves of Durin's Folk.

Thorin nodded and left it at that. Jovina was helping the young Elf-Maid with whatever troubled her. There was nothing to be suspicious about and that eased his mind, if only a little. There was still the issue of her avoiding contact with the company that bothered him, but he would handle that before they departed Rivendell.

Now if he only knew what Cirdan was doing here, was it for the reading of the map? How was it possible that the Elf Lord of the Grey Havens knew about their quest? Other than the Company and Gandalf, no one else was ever told about the quest. Gandalf himself seemed quite perturbed about his arrival and was now spending the majority of his time in the Great Library and Celestial Observatory looking for information, on what, Thorin did not know. Was their quest really so important that it caught the attention of not only the Valar but the council of Elves as well? He hoped that the fact that Rylee was sent by the Valar would be enough to appease the meddling Elves and keep them from standing in their path. Yet the more Thorin thought about it the more he worried that the Elves would try to stop him from taking back his homeland.

Elihara joined them as the ladies broke apart, curling her small form lovingly into her husband's side. Rohinna came down the path from the House of Aulë carrying a large empty basket in her arms. She wore an expression of amusement and thoughtfulness, it was a look that Thorin was beginning to associate with the dark haired Elf Maiden, she was one of the more open Elves in the city and Thorin relied on her for information on Rylee and Kíli's well being. She met his eyes and approached quickly, a small smile played on her lips.

"How do they fare this morning?" Thorin inquired in his usual brisk manner. He knew that she, of all people, would not take offence to his short questions.

"They were actually awake and half dressed," Rohinna chuckled quietly to herself. She was loyal to Rylee, never would she breach her confidence in what she saw or heard while in Rylee's presence. Thorin thankfully would never ask, whereas Fíli would try to pry every detail out of her for the remainder of the day. "Kíli is taking good care of Rylee, she is looking much healthier than she was yesterday. She should be ready for travel within the week."

He nodded in response, a small smirk played about Thorin's lips, not needing to know any of the details of the couple's relationship. He clearly remembered the early days of Dís and Sevrin's marriage and knew that these first days of love would set the tone for the remainder of their union. "Did you give them my message?"

"Yes, they will expect Kíli's belongings in the morning," Rohinna smiled in return, "If you don't mind I am going to make my escape before Fíli catches up to me."

Thorin nodded again and Rohinna walked swiftly away to join Lerain and Jovina before they set off to do whatever it was that they were wont to do in the afternoon. Almost like clockwork, Fíli attempted to intercept them, but was instead approached by Kalyna and after a few minutes of chatting they took up their preferred weapons and began to spar. Thorin could not help but chuckle at the obvious ploy of the Dwarrow-Elf to keep Fíli from getting information from Rohinna. The ladies seemed to be working together to ensure that Kíli and Rylee's honeymoon days went uninterrupted.

"Rylee's friends seem to be in cahoots with each other," Thorin observed with a small smile, "Fíli has not been able to glean any information out of a single one of them."

"Oh, He won't get anywhere near Kíli or Rylee until they are finished their allotted time. Not if we can help it," Elihara laughed quietly meeting Thorin's eyes. He merely nodded in return, this was good, the lad needed some distraction. He silently thanked Mahal that there was only one night left of the couple's honeymoon so that Fíli would calm down. She seemed to understand that there was no need to say more since she turned to Glorfindel and continued, "Kalyna is getting much better with the Battle Staff, do you not think Glorfindel? It is her weakest weapon."

"Jovina's tutelage has definitely helped," Glorfindel agreed as he watched Fíli and Kalyna carefully as they battled each other. They were well matched and it looked as though both had to put in a great amount of effort in order to come up with attacks that might pass the other's guard. Though Kalyna was much taller and had a longer reach, the dwarf was able to use it against her and often worked his way into her reach, shutting down her movements and collapsing her usually strong equilibrium.

Glorfindel admired the way that Kalyna was watching her opponent, learning from him for techniques that she could use against larger opponents and watching for weaknesses in his movement. Capitalizing on them whenever they became apparent, going for the strike at those opportune moments. It seemed that young Fíli thought much the same way, as soon as he realized that he was creating opportunities for Kalyna to use against him, he would correct and keep her from using the same tactic again. They were talking and laughing while they moved around each other and Glorfindel could not help the smile that curled his lip at the sound of her happiness. Then he scowled as he realized that Fíli was flirting with Kalyna while they were sparring.

"Your nephew is quite good with those swords Thorin," Glorfindel said almost grudgingly to Thorin. When he did not receive a response he turned and glanced at the King of Durin's Folk, Thorin was looking in the direction where Lerain, Rohinna, and Jovina disappeared to. A dark frown furrowed Thorin's brows and gave the already brooding Dwarf an even darker countenance. Glorfindel wondered if the Dwarf King was still bothered about the news of Jovina's wounds. "She will be alright Thorin, the wounds are healing."

"Aye, I am certain you are right," Thorin's rumbling baritone answered.

Bilbo approached Elihara and Elorin, then the three headed to the armory. Elihara kissed Elorin on the cheek bidding him farewell before she and Bilbo headed to the loft above the forge. Thorin knew that her workshop was located there and Bilbo joined Elihara daily to talk and to help her catch up on the work she set aside to work on Rylee's requests. Thorin had to grudgingly admit that the Hobbit, while seemingly soft and lazy, was helpful and bright. If only he would show that much effort on the trail and their quest.

Thorin turned away from the training field intent on helping in the forge. He made it a few steps before he turned back to Glorfindel who was intently watching Kalyna and Fíli spar together. Thorin wondered if there was something between the blonde elf and the younger Dwarrow-Elleth. He smirked and suggested thoughtfully, "You should give Fíli some competition Lord Glorfindel, he can use the practice. Otherwise he will be sneaking off to pester his brother and Rylee."

Glorfindel smirked and looked at the blonde dwarf fighting against Kalyna. Perhaps he should put them both to the test. He unsheathed his swords and rushed forward silently in a surprise attack, catching Kalyna unawares, but Fíli had one of his swords ready and fought back readily.

Thorin entered the forge and Elorin went through a quick rundown of what needed to be completed before the end of the day. Thorin nodded and set to work, there were several swords, knives, and axes that needed sharpening and it was simple enough work. They worked in silence, Thorin turning over the weapons to the Forge Master before going on to the next one. It was not long before they were wielding raw metal and pounding out the metal into swords, Elorin showing him how a curved Elven blade was created and how it differed from Dwarven design.

They broke for a late lunch and a lull settled into their conversation. Thorin looked over at Elorin, he knew that the Dwarrow-Elf knew Jovina before she disappeared in the First Age. Thorin wanted to know as much as he could about his mysterious new travelling companion, so he asked, "What do you remember of Jovina?"

"If this is about her wounds then I should warn you that she is a Dwarrow of the First Age, very proud and stubborn. If I were to bet, I would say that she has not told a soul, especially not Rylee," Elorin told him thoughtfully. Thinking back on his time in Gondolin, he was merely a boy at the time when Rylee brought Jovina into the city. Times were troubled, tensions were high, Jovina nearly ended up being thrown from the city walls. Rylee had to show Turgon her powers and her wrath before he would acquiesce to her request to allow her to stay. Mikhaul too would have met the same fate if the horse could be caught or captured, but Mikhaul was the steed of Eru, and could not be contained. He went on with his thoughts about Jovina, "I remember her in battle when Morgoth attacked. She didn't even live in Gondolin, was not accepted by the people, yet she stood strong and took down several Orcs and even a Werewolf. I didn't see her disappear but she told me that the Valar took her as she was about to be consumed by Dragon fire."

"Why were Dwarves not allowed within the walls?" Thorin asked fiercely, it sounded like old prejudices to him. Age old and steadfast, time did not seem to change anything in the views of their people. If he was honest to himself he would admit that he was as guilty of it as the others, if not more so.

"In order to keep the city hidden from Morgoth, very few outsiders were ever allowed sanctuary. It mattered not what race they came from, none who entered the city walls was allowed to leave unless they petitioned the King. For nearly four hundred years, the people remained safe, hidden within the walls of the great white city in the Encircling Mountains. Rylee was an exception due to the advice of Ulmo and Thorondor the King of the Eagles, Turgon allowed her to come and go as she pleased," Elorin told him with a smile. There were many great memories in that city, memories that he held dear to his heart. It was the place of his childhood. "Jovina on the other hand, was not so welcomed. Rylee had to fight for her to stay and even then Maeglin was whispering dark words into Turgon's ear. When Morgoth attacked, Maeglin tried to accuse Rylee and Jovina of leading him in even though they fought valiantly to defend the city. It wasn't until Maeglin's treachery was discovered in the midst of battle that Jovina was accepted and by then she was gone. You should ask Rylee about it some time, Jovina will not tell the tale, but Rylee will."

"Rylee said Glorfindel died in that battle, how is it possible that he is here now?" Thorin asked broodingly. He was feeling rather curious and for once an Elf was giving him straight answers and not strings of riddles. Thorin wondered if it was because Elorin was not an elf of pure blood. Was it his Dwarf blood that made him more honest and less secretive than his kin?

"She is correct," Elorin nodded somberly, straightening his spine at the mention of his old friend. "He was re-embodied and sent as an emissary of the Valar during the Second Age. Lord Cirdan and Gil-galad told him of all that happened in the War of Wrath, and he joined us with the contingent of Elves under Lord Elrond's banner. You have no idea what a joy it was to see him alive and well after his sacrifice in the Fall of Gondolin."

"So you knew each other well?" Thorin asked in some confusion looking at the massive blonde bearded Dwarf-Elf.

"My mother was a good friend of Glorfindel's from Valinor. He gave her sanctuary within his halls. She was a Weapon Smith, one of the best of her trade, taught me everything she knew. We lived and fought under Glorfindel's banner and Mother had her forge built there, our home was built above the shop and it was where I was born." Elorin answered softly.

"You are half Dwarf though. How is that possible if Dwarves were not allowed in Gondolin?" Thorin asked in confusion, his suspicions rising. There were too many holes in this tale for it to be a truth.

Elorin did not answer for a long moment, instead a deep frown settled upon the bearded Dwarf-Elf's face. "My mother lived in Doriath for many years before meeting my father. Like I said earlier, no one was allowed to enter or leave Gondolin unless petition was granted by Turgon, the King of the Noldor."

Thorin said nothing in return, letting Elorin talk it out, obviously the conversation was an uncomfortable one for him. "She sought sanctuary after my father went to battle amongst the ranks of the Belegost Armies in Dagor Bragollach or the Battle of Sudden Flame. She was loath to leave him and only did so at his behest. She did not know that she was pregnant when she arrived at the gates and she never knew if my father survived the battle. I was not well accepted in common society within Gondolin and my mother was often seen as a traitor for falling in love with a dwarf."

Thorin's brow furrowed at this, Dwarrow-Elves were rare, so much so in fact that they were often thought of as mere legend. The fact that there were two living within the walls of Imladris spoke volumes about the secrecy of their existence. He understood why, the mixed blood would be looked down upon in any other realm, the only reason it was not within the Hidden Valley was likely due to the fact that the Lord of Rivendell was in fact a half blood as well. Elorin and his wife were good folk, and it pained him that they may have been treated as outsiders. If not for Rylee, he might have done the same, he was raised to see to the rights of Dwarrow folk, and look down upon the Elves and Men, especially after the attack of Smaug on Erebor. He felt ashamed to admit that he would have shunned them, even if it was only to himself. He looked back at Elorin and asked, "Did he also know Elihara?"

"No, Elihara was not a resident of Gondolin," Elorin went on to elaborate. "When we fled Gondolin, Tuor led us to the Mouths of Sirion, a place of sanctuary. There we met up with Lord Cirdan and the High King of the Noldor to support those who were taking refuge on the Isle of Balar. When Gil-galad moved his company closer to Lindon so he could form a front against Morgoth and Ancalagon closer to the Thangorodrim, I went with him. Elihara was amongst the elves that lived in Ossiriand near the western slopes of Ered Luin, in what is now Forlindon. There was a large encampment there near the end of the First Age. That is where I met her."

"You mean where Rylee introduced you," Thorin said his gaze seeking, he wanted to know if the story was true or if Gandalf was embellishing one of his tales once again. He knew that Gandalf had a propensity to add to a story to make it bigger and better than it actually was. He wondered if Elorin and Elihara's love story was truly as fantastic as the wizard made it seem.

"I take it Gandalf told you?" Elorin chuckled shaking his head. "If I hadn't been there, I would never have believed it myself."

"So his tale is true?" Thorin asked raising his brows at the tall bearded Dwarf-Elf.

"Every word of it, the tale is so strange that Gandalf doesn't think it needs embellishment," Elorin chuckled softly.

* * *

Bilbo was spending a great deal of his time in the company of Elihara. When she was not helping to train Lerain, she was often working in the loft of the Forge. She had a large craft room set up for the creation of scabbards, sheaths, quivers, packs, and satchels of all shapes and sizes. Some of the work she did was meant to go with the weapons that Elorin made in the Forge, other items were for selling in the marketplace on the boardwalk. Bilbo helped cut patterns out of the leather for Elihara and told her of the Shire and the comforts of Bag End. He described the adventures of his family over the years and she told him of the few stories she knew of Norwend Took.

He enjoyed hearing stories of Elihara's other daughter Corin and her husband Norwend Took. Being that they were his ancestors, he was intrigued by their meeting and their lives together. Bilbo found it interesting that the Tooks did not have Fairy blood, but they did have both Elf and Dwarf blood. He learned that Corin and Norwend met at dinner, in a most normal fashion, and they swiftly fell deeply in love with each other. So much so that when it was time for Norwend to continue on to the Shire, he begged Corin to go with him and become his wife. Corin confessed that if he had not asked her, she would have insisted he take her with him.

"I would imagine that Rylee has several tales of Norwend Took," Elihara pondered for a long moment before looking at Bilbo. "Now that she has her memories back I would imagine that she could tell you how they met and why she and Fleet sent him on to Rivendell in the first place."

"She knew Fleet in the First Age did she not?" Bilbo inquired as he lifted the leather to inspect his cutting, before placing it in the pile with the rest of the pieces.

"That she did," Elihara agreed softly, "Rylee told me that she met him on her way to Doriath. He led her into the city of Menegroth. I met him when they came to Ossiriand during Rylee's third quest. Fleet was very much a Wood Elf in the respect that he could run through the trees like a stallion runs upon the ground. He had a very positive disposition, always in a good mood, even when everything seemed to go wrong. If there was an adventure at hand, Fleet wanted to be a part of it even if it meant that he would get into all sorts of trouble later. Gil-galad would use him most often as a scout, there was no other Elf that was as quick and silent as Fleet. I heard rumors that he helped Durin, Rylee, and Jovina get out of a very troublesome situation with some Werewolves, earning him the name Fleet-Foot Took."

"Is that so?" Bilbo asked. His curiosity was piqued at this and he wanted to know more.

"I am sorry Bilbo, I don't know much about it since Fleet preferred to tell stories about others and didn't really tell stories about himself," Elihara grinned at him. "He reminds me a bit of you actually Bilbo. I often wonder what happened to Fleet Took."

"You don't know what happened to him? Didn't Norwend keep in touch?" Bilbo inquired in confusion. They were family; surely they would have known what happened to the Elf.

"That is the troublesome part Bilbo," Elihara said softly, her eyes getting a grave distant look in them. "After Scatha's death was reported we didn't hear at all what happened in that hoard. Saruman spoke only to the White Council about it, we never heard from Fleet, and Fram was killed a few years later in a dispute over the ownership of the hoard. The elves to the east have not been very approachable since the War of the Last Alliance. Thranduil is not the easiest person to be around and I heard he lost his entire family with the exception of his young son in that war. That alone would harden a soul."

They fell back into silence and worked peacefully together for another hour or so. They could hear the hammers and billows working in the shop below as well as the occasional murmur of low baritone voices echoing up the stairs to the loft. Thorin and Elorin seemed to work well together and Bilbo was somewhat surprised that the Dwarf King would lower himself to manual labor when he did not need to. Though he knew that Thorin once took work as a Weapon Smith in the human villages to keep a roof over his family's head, he was still a King and now that he was a Lord of his own realm in the Blue Mountains, there was no need for him to continue to do the work of Smiths. Bilbo did understand the need to feel busy though and it was one of many things that he admired in the Dwarf King.

His mind turned to the new addition to their company, Jovina Malagnûna, he wondered about her. The Dwarves made a fuss over Rylee already, how much worse would they be with two of their female folk amongst them? He spoke only briefly to her in passing and while she seemed nice enough, it was rare that she actually stayed long to continue the conversation. She did seem to be rather preoccupied with Lerain, along with all of the other ladies. Bilbo was fully aware that something was wrong with the girl, but he was rather afraid to ask. He looked at Elihara and gathered his courage.

"Do not ask Bilbo Baggins, I do not have the answer to that question," Elihara said before he even had the chance to inquire. He huffed in surprise, his chest puffing out in indignation.

"You really do not know what is going on with Lerain?" Bilbo pressed on. Now that the subject was broached he might as well fulfill his curiosity.

Elihara met his eyes with a small frown and slowly shook her head, "I only know that she has met with trouble and that Jovina and Rohinna are helping her through it. Lady Galadriel as well. Other than that I am not privy to that information."

"It is troublesome, she seems so sad now, when she was so much happier that first night that we were here," Bilbo said quietly. He looked up at the time and blinked. He was supposed to meet Gandalf in the library ten minutes before. He could not believe that he was late. He was a Baggins! He was never late! "I am sorry Elihara, I must go, I was to meet Gandalf and I am running late!"

"No apology necessary Bilbo," Elihara smiled softly at him and walked him to the door, "Thank you for the help, and for the company, you are quite a charming hobbit. Thanks to you I am nearly caught up in my work."

"I must return the thanks My Lady, your friendship is very uplifting and delightful," Bilbo said before he turned and took off at a jog towards the main house.

When he arrived Bilbo was surprised to see Jovina sitting at one of the large tables with a pile of scrolls before her, Gandalf was at the other end of the table reading a large tome. He looked up as Bilbo stopped just inside the door, breathing hard.

"Ah, Bilbo my lad, I am glad you could make it," Gandalf said waving him forward.

Bilbo approached quickly and immediately felt the black eyes of the Dwarrowdam on him as he joined them. Jovina rose and made her way to where Gandalf sat on the far end of the table. There was a large map spread before him. It was a map of Middle-Earth from the First Age. He was about her height, but she was slightly wider in the shoulder and hip, making her seem much stronger than he was.

He noticed that she was once again wearing her hair in only a single plait down her back. He thought for a moment that it was the only braid that she did wear until he saw the small red metallic bead hanging beneath the bottom of the large clasp that contained the end of her braid. He remembered what she told him about Dwarrowdams and their beards and side locks. Her side locks were intricately woven with green gems. He knew that braids were very personal to Dwarves and he wondered why she did not wear any more than these simple braids. The only time he ever saw her with it down was during the wedding and he wondered if it was for a specific reason.

"Jovina, this is Bilbo Baggins, he is a Hobbit from the Shire, as I told you earlier, he is to be our burglar," Gandalf told her indicating where on the map Bilbo was from. He moved his finger to the Far East in the very south end of the Orocarni chain of mountains. "Bilbo, might I officially introduce you to Jovina Malagnûna of the Blacklocks Clan. Her folk originated here, far to the East, in the Southern Orocarni Mountains. She made the journey to the west with her Father and met Rylee here, in Doriath."

"It is my pleasure to meet you My Lady," Bilbo said with a slight bow. Gandalf's finger still rested on a large forest in the middle of Beleriand. It was the first time Bilbo had seen a map of the First Age, but he had seen plenty from the Second Age and beyond. He was astounded by how much damage was done to Middle-Earth at the end of the War of Wrath.

Jovina smirked and did the same saying, "Greetings and well met, Master Baggins."

"Jovina recently joined us from the ruined halls of Khazad-Dum, which is now called Moria," Gandalf smiled at the pair of them. He closed the scroll that showed Middle-Earth in the First Age to reveal a much more recent map. Jovina looked at the map and after a jolt of recognition at the damage done to Beleriand, she turned her eyes to the point that Gandalf was showing them. Khazad-Dum. She then realized that while she was talking to the Elf Lord and the Wizards they kept calling it Moria, she just thought that they were describing it, for it truly was a black chasm. It was a shame. Once the halls of Durin were the most beloved and beautiful of all Dwarrowdelfs, now they were badly ruined and desecrated by the most foul of creatures.

Gandalf then moved his finger east, to the river Anduin on the other side of the Misty Mountains. "Hobbits originated to the east of us beyond the Misty Mountains and made their way west around two thousand years ago. Bilbo is a distant descendant of Fleet Took."

"Fleet! I remember that Elvish brat!" Jovina exclaimed, her eyes crinkled at the corners as she grinned, "He was a good fellow, Fleet Took. He helped escort Rylee and I through Ered Gorgoroth with Durin and his old cronies on our way to Gondolin."

"So you know how he came by the name of Fleet-Foot Took?" Bilbo asked as his curiosity grew once again.

"I do Master Baggins, but I am no storyteller, I am merely a Seer of souls and paths," Jovina told him with a small smile.

"What do you mean a Seer?" Bilbo's brow furrowed as he looked across the map at her. "Like a reader of stars?"

"I mean what I say, if you would allow me to look directly into your eyes, I can see your path," Jovina said softly, giving him a choice to be a participant in her magic. Elves were more accepting of her powers, where she found that those of other races were much more closed to them. Dwarves especially didn't like her version of Magic, it unsettled them to have someone look into their souls. At least that was what she found in her experience. Bilbo nodded and Jovina walked around the table to stand in front of him.

Bilbo looked into the blackness that was Jovina's eyes and felt a sudden pressure inside his mind. Like the barest beginnings of a mild headache or the wondrous feeling one gets when hit by a sudden burst of inspiration. It felt like something was awakening within his mind behind his eyes. Then she pulled away and he was able to blink.

"You have two paths and you are at war with yourself," Jovina said. Blinking, she pressed her forefinger to the space between her eyes as though she was trying to massage away a headache. "You often have trouble with your dual natures, one part of you loves adventure and the other prefers the comforts of being in a place of safety. Your heart usually wins out in the end. Wherever your heart lies is where your feet follow and that I think is for the best. If you continue to follow that instinct, it will not lead you wrong."

"You could tell all of that just by looking in my eyes?" Bilbo looked at her searchingly, trying to see if she was telling lies. Gandalf smiled down at him in a reassuring manner. It was one that he used often when Rylee was telling one of her wild tales that one would think were lies, but according to Gandalf were not.

"Eyes are windows to the soul," Jovina said simply as she met his eyes again, this time reining in her power. She found that once she read a person's soul, it was much easier to hold her powers at bay when near them. It was one of the reasons that she was avoiding contact with the rest of the Company. It was rare that all of them were not together, to read ten souls at one time was intimidating and not without side effect.

"Jovina is the only Dwarf I have met that has this power Bilbo," Gandalf told him honestly, "It is a rare gift that the Valar have bestowed upon her."

"Gandalf, I believe that you were right to bring Master Baggins along with the Company," Jovina smiled at the two. The tall wizard looked down at her as she took in the form of Bilbo Baggins. He was full of undiscovered courage, a will of survival, and a loyalty that could move mountains. "If you will excuse me Master Baggins, I must return to my work, I am looking through the histories for mention of Rúnyatári. I need to know which powers she has tapped into. Most of these are ancient texts and I have dozens of scrolls to search through."

"Can you not just look into her soul like you did with me?" Bilbo asked in surprise.

"She cannot," Gandalf said as Jovina went back to her scrolls, "Their powers tend to clash painfully, Jovina cannot risk another encounter with Rylee's soul, thus she must search for her answers the usual way."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Bilbo asked hopefully, looking between the two of them.

"These scrolls are all in Quenya," Jovina shook her head, then she turned and pointed to a pile of tomes, "those are translated into Westron, you can look in there if you like."

Bilbo picked up one of the heavy tomes and opened it to look inside. There were tales of all kinds within, histories of the First Age, written by the witnesses to great deeds. Most of them told of the epic tales of the Silmarils and the wars waged to get them back from Morgoth, but laced within them were notes on key players. He had to look carefully since Rylee went by many names and was seen by many people.

"How is it that you know Quenya Miss Jovina?" Bilbo asked as he exchanged his first tome for the next, having only found a few simple notations of Rylee's battles using her weapons. There was no mention of her magic.

"I was taught by Lady Galadriel in secret after my father unceremoniously left me behind in the vast forests of Doriath before returning to the Orocarni Mountains," Jovina said as she rolled up one of her scrolls and set it aside before grabbing another one. "Thingol forbade the use of the language in Doriath, but Lady Galadriel felt that I should know the use of it considering that it was Rylee's cradle tongue. Rylee would leave me notes on my writing desk and they were often written in Quenya. I had little choice but to learn and I am now thankful that I did."

The three of them worked for several hours until dinnertime, at which time Bilbo rose to ease the pain in his belly. Jovina, however, stayed in her seat and poured over the scriptures before her. "Will you not come for dinner Jovina?"

"Thank you Bilbo, but no, I cannot," Jovina looked up from her reading with a small frown. The headache that she got from using her sight on Bilbo was still lingering between her eyes and she was not in the mood to allow it to get worse. Ten unread dwarves at once was a little much for her and it would leave her feeling drained and in pain. "There will be too many people and it is hard to keep my mind shuttered around so many. Most Dwarves do not take kindly to my power, they feel threatened by it, it is better if I do not."

"They may be threatened by it but don't you think they will accept it better if you are upfront with it and let them know of it now, before we leave Rivendell?" Bilbo asked her in confusion. "It would be ill advised to keep secrets from the Company, it only makes Thorin suspicious and antagonistic."

"Thorin Oakenshield already knows of my powers Bilbo," Jovina said quietly looking at the hobbit thoughtfully. He might be right. If she showed her powers now, they would either push to leave her behind or accept her as one of the Company. She decided to talk to Thorin to see how he felt about her sharing her abilities with his Company. "I will decline your offer this evening Bilbo, though I do appreciate the invite and the advice."


	29. Seeking Redemption

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, any of Tolkien's works or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either. I own only my OC's and that which I have created.**

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Chapter 29

June 15

Seeking Redemption

The dream was pressing in on her. She could see the death around her, dragon fire and ruin, trolls, Balrogs, Orcs, and Wargs tearing and sundering everyone she loved. She could see those men and women she fought beside in the past torn apart piece by piece. The Elves and Dwarves stood side by side in battle, brave and strong, but even they were no match for the darkness before them. Wereworms, or Stone Eating Dragons, drove up shattering the ground beneath their feet, opening great rifts to allow even more of the enemy through. Oliphaunts carrying Easterlings and Orcs came against them. They were vastly outnumbered.

She did not recognize this place. There were white towering walls behind her and her men but she could not make out where she was. In the back of her mind, a great fiery eye taunted her. Kíli stood beside her and beyond him were Fíli and Thorin, both prepared for the coming battle, steel looks in their eyes. The Company was all there, as were Oropher and Thranduil. Gil-galad and Eärendil awaited her signal, as did Commanders of Men that she did not recognize. Elrond and Elros stood together waiting for the battle to begin. Then she saw them. Morgoth and Sauron. Together along with creatures long thought dead, Ungoliant in her cloak of Unlight, Draugluin, Carcharoth and Thuringwethil. It was then that it dawned on Rylee; this was Dagor Dagorath.

Why was she dreaming of the Battle of all Battles? She didn't understand. It could not be upon them already could it? Morgoth and Sauron attacked first and Rylee moved forward. Her entire army did as they were ordered and piece by piece, they surrounded the Enemy driving them to their deaths. It looked like they would be victorious until Morgoth and Sauron separated from the group and came after her and the Company. One by one, the Dwarves fell dead around her, magic attacks against her friends, attacks that they could not fight against if they tried. Thorin tried desperately to get out of the grip of the madness that consumed his mind but there was no use, Morgoth was tearing him apart from the inside out. Fíli too was dragged into darkness and despair, his humanity stripped from him bit by bit until there was nothing left of the cheeky intelligent Dwarf that she knew he was.

Rylee tried desperately to protect Kíli from the same madness only for Sauron to take hold of him and physically tear him apart, starting at his feet and working his way through his appendages before eviscerating him. His screams echoed in her ears as she screamed for them to stop this madness. It was then that Morgoth reached for her, telling her to stop resisting the darkness in her heart and to succumb to him. To join him against the Valar. She looked at him and screamed her vow, "Never!"

Rylee jerked into wakefulness and found that Kíli was already awake beside her, crooning to her and rubbing her back, "I have you Rylee. I am here."

She curled into him and choked on a sob that suddenly built in her throat. He was warm and alive, still beside her in her bed. Rylee blinked and looked around taking in the time of the night. "How long have we been sleeping Kíli? What time is it?"

"We have about four hours of night left. Why?" Kíli whispered back as he kissed her cheek.

"I don't think I will be able to sleep after seeing that. Your death is always the worst. I may be biased but my dreams always make yours the worst," Rylee sulked against him. She was feeling despondent and morose. She needed something that would take her mind off of her dreams and tire her enough to sleep some more. Closing her eyes she listened to the sounds around her, trying to relax back into sleep. She could hear the leaves rustling the trees, the call of birds and the chatter of small nocturnal animals as they scampered through the underbrush. Then there was the music of the waterfall as it flowed from the high walls of the mountains and into the large pool beside the house before running downriver into the city of Rivendell beyond the protective wall of trees. She should have felt soothed, but her mind would not stop.

The worry and the weight of her quest pulled at her as did the events of Lerain's attack. Rylee still felt guilty for going ahead with the wedding. She felt guilty for being cut off from her new friend when she needed support the most. They just did not seem to have time for anything. Rylee knew that Thorin would want to leave as soon as the map was read, regardless of whether they would be able to access the mountain or not. His dislike of the Elves was too profound to allow them to stay overly long. Mid-Summers Eve was fast approaching, Rylee tried to count the days, but her time in the forge kept throwing off her count. She lifted her head from Kíli's shoulder and looked at him, "Kíli?"

"Yes love?" Kíli sighed as he realized that she was not yet relaxed enough to settle back down.

She looked pensive all of a sudden, "How many days are there until Mid-Summers Eve?"

"Um, five or six I believe. It depends on what today is, all I am certain of is that it falls on the twentieth," Kíli said softly. He looked at her as she seemed to suddenly become agitated, "Why Rylee? What's going on?"

"Five days," Rylee sighed and burrowed her head back under his chin, "'Tis not enough time."

"This isn't about your dream, is it Love?" Kíli pulled her closer, he could almost feel her anxiety and frustration, "Does this have something to do with Lerain?"

"Aye, I just hope we can help her find her path before it is time to leave," Rylee sighed in dissatisfaction.

"What happened? Can you tell me?" Kíli asked softly. He did not want to pry, but he did not want Rylee to torture herself over whatever was going on either.

"Lerain was attacked during our Last Night celebrations," Rylee confessed to him. She did not want to keep secrets from him, but this was not her secret, "I cannot tell you everything because it is not my story to tell, but she needs help to get past the darkness."

"Is it something similar to what you went through when you ran away? Minus the dragon and Werewolves, of course," Kíli pressed for a little more information, he could not help her if he did not know what he was dealing with.

"Nay Kíli, it was a different kind of ordeal but no less terrifying or soul shattering," Rylee whispered. "Rohinna has experience dealing with darkness like this, but my hope is that if Jovina helps her, Lerain will heal faster and Jovina will find closure."

"Why does it have to be Jovina and Rohinna who help her? What about you?" Kíli inquired softly, "Don't you think you can help her? You have been through darkness many times."

"I would be little help to someone so innocent, I would do more damage than good," Rylee scoffed derisively.

"How can you say that?" Kíli rolled them and rose on his elbow to look down on her, a frown marring his face. "You are compassionate and caring. You are one of the most warm-hearted people I have ever met."

"I am also brash, reckless, impulsive, and intimidating," Rylee admitted in annoyance, looking up at Kíli when he started to chuckle. "Don't tell Thorin I said that. He will get a big head if he knows he is right. I also tend to be overbearing and zealous when I am passionate about something. According to Jovina I am a terrible teacher since I expect too much."

"I think you underestimate your influence over people Rylee," Kíli told her, sitting up and turning towards her. She looked up at him in the filtered light of the silver moon, loving the way his dark hair shimmered softly in waves around his face, the way his dark eyes reflected the low light. His handsomeness was displayed with the soft silver light, his straight nose and strong jaw, the arched brows that highlighted his dark eyes. She raised her hand and ran her fingers along his jaw.

"Lerain reminds me so much of myself, I don't know if I can help her without falling back into that darkness, those fears. She is in such a place of darkness that I can either pull her out, or she can pull me in. Her pain is my vulnerability," Rylee's eyes glistened with sudden moisture. "If I give in to the fear-"

"He was wrong," Kíli interrupted her gently but ardently, "He may have been right that Eru would sever your ties with your family, and that you would create a rift, but he didn't say why it would happen or that you would be able to fix it. He also said you would never find you One. I am proof that he was lying to you."

"I know this, but it doesn't stop the doubt," Rylee sighed in frustration. She wished she could find a way for herself to find the light. Kíli was asking her to help Lerain find what she herself found most elusive. She did not even know where to start. She did, however, know someone who did, her eyes widened as the realization hit her. "I need to talk to Ossë."

"What? You mean the Maia of Wind and Storms?" Kíli asked in surprise at her sudden change in subject.

"The very same," Rylee said with a small smile, "He was once aligned with Melkor before he became Morgoth, Uinen was able to help him find the light again. He might be able to help me."

"He is a tempest Rylee; you told me that he was one of the Maia who was the angriest with you after you ran away. Do you really think he will help you?" Kíli asked uncertain. Fíli had told him many of the sea faring stories of the Elves about the temperament of the Maia of the Sea. There were times that he would be in your favor and the next he would be in a foul mood and be set against you. It was in his temperament to change.

"It cannot hurt to ask," Rylee's smile fell as she thought about it and her brow furrowed just a little, "Even if he won't see me, Uinen might, I have yet to make amends with her anyways. As for Ossë, even if Uinen can pass on a message to him, it would be enough."

Rylee traced a pattern on Kíli's chest with her fingernail, she was always writing in runes. It took him a while at first to decipher what she was writing, but the pattern always repeated and he knew the moment when she switched to the familiar lettering of Khuzdul. He didn't know the other glyphs and runes she was using but he knew the Khuzdul and Westron and she wrote the same in both languages. She wrote out the words 'Kíli, my love, my heart, my One.' When she switched to a more curling cursive he asked her, "What language is that?"

"Quenya, my cradle tongue," Rylee's husky voice whispered in the night air. She finished her pattern and her hand went still.

He asked her softly, "Will you be going on the Path of Dreams then?"

Rylee rolled out of Kíli's embrace and rose, going to her wardrobe. After a few minutes of rifling through one of the inner drawers she pulled what looked to be a long scrap of silk from within. Pulling a thin chemise over her head, she turned back towards Kíli, the pale ivory silk skimmed her body delectably and Kíli swallowed painfully. With or without clothes his wife was stunning, if she wasn't dead set on going to Valinor he would ravish her again, just to be able to remove the waterfall of silk that covered her. As if she read his mind, she grinned at him and climbed back onto the bed, crawling toward him. Kíli arched a brow at her in question.

"Probably not a good idea to visit home while naked as a newborn," Rylee explained.

"You just like to torture me," Kíli sighed as he held the blankets back, waiting for her to curl up beside him. He wondered what it would be like to sleep beside her while she was away, her mind and spirit in another place. He wanted to hold her in his arms as she worked out her troubles, keep her protected when she was so very far away and vulnerable. He wanted nothing more than to cuddle with her and feel her close to him.

He curled around her and her around him and within moments she was gone, he felt her body relax, completely and totally. Her breathing was even and soft, her only movement was the quick flicker of her eyes under her eyelids. Not wanting to wake her, Kíli stayed where he was, combing his fingers through her hair. He kissed her cheek and nestled in against her and allowed himself to drift away.

Rylee walked through the silver leaves and along the sliver starlit path making her way through Lórien. She spied Irmo in the garden and greeted him with a warm hug and a smile. "I am enjoying being the Vala of Dreams Rylee, I see your smile more than any other here in Valinor. I am honored."

"It is I who am honored dear Uncle, I am also saddened that I did not spend time with you before I left," Rylee said as she stepped away from him.

"My lessons were not yet yours to learn my dear," Irmo smiled back at her and walked with her to the gates of Lórien, "Off you go now, there is not much night left for you to waste with me."

"Time with you is never wasted Irmo, but you are right, I do not have much of it. See you again soon!" Rylee called as she concentrated on finding Ossë or Uinen. The land was a blur as she was raced to the seaside. With a single thought and feeling she was in a familiar place where she once spent months with Ulmo, Ossë, and Uinen, learning how to swim.

It was a large cove that was sheltered from the outside seas by a long, tall stretch of sand, rock, and coral. The beach itself was covered in fine white sand, so pale, soft and pure that it felt like soft powder beneath her feet. She knew that the sand stretched all the way across the cove and into the deep sea beyond it. The water was so clear and blue that she could see the vast arrays of colorful fish as they swam through the waters. The plant life along the shore was vibrant and green. She took a deep clearing breath of the briny air and reveled in the freshness of it all.

At first she thought that she was alone in the cove. It was so serene and silent other than the call of the odd sea gull and fisher hawk. Then she spied Uinen on the far side of the bay sitting quietly on a rock waiting for Rylee to join her. Uinen was beautiful in a way that the other Maia and Vala were not. Instead of pale skin, Uinen was darkly tanned, turquoise scales covered her collarbones and shoulders, her forearms and webbed hands. Her legs were covered in the same scales from mid thigh down to her webbed feet. Her hair was as white as foam capped waves mixed with strands of ocean blue. Instead of ears with a single point, Uinen's had three, with soft membrane flesh threaded between each point. She had many piercings in each ear, all threaded with turquoise jewels. She wore a dress that hung to mid thigh made of shimmering sea foam colored silk, adorned with pearls of every shape and size.

Rylee stepped into the water and swam across the vast bay. Hard, strong strokes pulled her through the calm waters, and she was quickly within reach of the Maia. When she came up beside the rock and looked up at Uinen, she saw a small frown upon her face. Rylee was immediately morose and shameful. Rylee once told Ossë that he had no right to speak to her or tell her what to do. It happened right after she told Yavanna and Nienna to seek her forgiveness in the Void with Melkor, for she would never speak to them again. Her anger and rage was so potent that she never even thought to hold her tongue when Ossë tried to tell her to apologize to her mother and aunt. She told him that he was not her father. She called him a traitor and that he could rot in the ocean for an eternity for all she cared. When Uinen tried to admonish her, Rylee told the Lady of the Sea that her advice was as welcome as her husband's and that she would prefer silence than to hear the sea songs again.

"You should have told us your secret," Uinen admonished her. "We would have helped you through it."

"I tried, a thousand times I tried," Rylee choked out through her guilt and the familiar self directed rage, "I couldn't put it into words. When Eru came I told him, since he already knew anyways, but by then it was too late. The damage was already done and he told me that the effects of what I had done would ripple out through the Ages. Anirisae was meant to die that day. I saved her life and changed the future. Eru promised me that it would be for the betterment of all, but I could not tell anyone unless I found my One."

"Yavanna was watching when you told Kíli what happened, she said you didn't even tell Mahal or Thorin the whole of it. Manwë said that he guessed there was more, but Eru advised him that it was your secret to keep and to deal with on your own," Uinen whispered softly. Her long vibrant foam capped hair spread around them and floated upon the waves like silver ripples. "The things you were shown, were they really so horrible to make you doubt our love that much?"

"Worse than horrible Uinen," Rylee lowered her eyes in disgrace. "With everything that happened I was vulnerable and he knew it. He took advantage and when things happened as he said they would, I-I was compelled to believe him. I regret every word I said to you and Ossë. I am sorry I doubted you and I am sorry that I pushed you away without reason."

"But you did have reason Fry," Uinen told her, using the nickname she gave Rylee as a child when they were trying to teach her to swim. Fry was another term for a baby fish. Uinen's sea-foam blue eyes were filled with tears as she continued, "Us Maiar and even the Valar were awful in that moment. You were right in so many ways and wrong in so many others. It was up to us to guide you and like any other beings, we were certain that we were doing right by you. It never dawned on us to ask you your opinion in those matters, in our eyes you were still just a babe."

"No Uinen, I should not have been so selfish in my desires and I should have listened to reason. Yavanna has never disallowed me anything without good reason. I don't know why I thought she was being unfair all of a sudden," Rylee shook her head, she was in the wrong. She would take the blame for her actions. "I should never have tried to play Nienna off of Yavanna, nor should I have allowed anyone else to become involved. My selfishness caused all of this and I am so deeply sorry."

"Come here child," Uinen smiled softly reaching her webbed hands out to Rylee to grasp. Rylee reached up and allowed the Sea Maiden to pull her onto the rock beside her. She was about to ask about Ossë when Uinen reached up and plucked a small sea horse out of her hair and released it into the water. Rylee looked at her reflection in the calming water and snorted with mirth at her reflection. Her hair was green with frond after frond of deep green sea plants. "I think you can officially add Sea Urchin or Festitycelyn to your list of names little Fry."

"You did that on purpose Uinen," Rylee laughed lowly. She clenched her teeth at the pain of someone else's hands in her hair as she waited patiently as Uinen pulled out the seaweed. Then Uinen used her magic to clear away the seaweed from around the rock. "Not that I didn't deserve it."

"Right you are Fry. I did do it on purpose." Uinen laughed along with her, a hum of magic rose around them as a small wave of clean water rose up and wiped softly across Rylee's cheek, "Do you remember the time that you and Yavanna came to visit? You were just past your twenty-first year and you attempted to make her a crown out of sea flowers?"

"You mean when I finally mastered the art of swimming?" Rylee laughed at the memory. Beautiful Yavanna, the Lady of Nature, dripping and sodden with a seaweed crown, that slopped and stuck to her face like algae on a rock. Rylee and Uinen were highly amused until Yavanna's powers made it start to grow and morph into a sea monster with eight black and green arms, a bulbous head and small black eyes. The suctioning tentacles caught Rylee and Uinen and pulled them into the air, hanging them upside down while the other six tentacles when about tickling them. That was until Ulmo and Ossë arrived and started splashing Yavanna with wave after wave of water. She had no choice but to command the eight armed beast to put Rylee and Uinen down in order to command it to splash Ulmo and Ossë. The creature was turned back into seaweed, but Eru later gave Yavanna and Ulmo permission to create a similar creature for the sea, and much to their delight he gave it life. "That was possibly the largest water fight I have ever witnessed. Ulmo and Ossë were so surprised when we all gained up on them. I don't think I can remember a time that I had such fun in the ocean."

"There were no winners that day," Uinen grinned mischievously as her wave of water finished cleaning Rylee's face and arms.

"It was just after that when everything went sideways," Rylee sighed as her thought turned to the events that led up to her running away. "Everything just felt too restricted, like I was being pressed into a mold that no longer fit. I tried to tell them, but nothing I said seemed to make sense to anyone. Only Nienna understood what I was going through, from there it was so easy to play Yavanna off of Nienna."

"We are all to blame Fry. You must not try to take all the blame onto your shoulders. Not even one as strong as you can control the likes of the Valar or the Maiar, only Eru can do that and he has never broken our will," Uinen advised her sagely.

"I know that but I am the one who started it, so I need to be the one to make amends and fix it," Rylee met Uinen's eyes. Her heart was on her sleeve as she pleaded to the Lady of the Sea, "Will you forgive me for being an impudent and intolerable brat and giving you the cold shoulder for all of these years?"

"Years!" Uinen chided her with a small chuckle, "You realize that for us time is both irrelevant and lingering, it has been Ages upon Ages since you shook the ground of Aman!"

"Point taken," Rylee smirked and lowered her face. She was running out of time and she still had not yet asked about Ossë or about fighting the darkness. How did one broach such a subject?

Rylee didn't need to ask, Uinen already knew what it was that she needed and she was a step ahead of her, "Ossë is not here Fry. He is not ready to see you yet. Your revelation to Kíli shook him hard. It stirred bitter memories and he wants to face them before seeing you."

"Oh, okay," Rylee said feeling a little small, "How did you help him through it Uinen? How did you bring him back from the lure of Morgoth?"

"With patience, love, some well spoken words of frustration, I asked him to trust in me and allow me to help guide him," Uinen said softly, her sea-foam eyes were glistening in the light, "it was not easy Rylee, and there are still days when he becomes upset about everything that happened. He is called a tempest for many reasons, all of them valid, yet he is still loved by the seafarers and fishermen."

"I can understand that, some days are better than others for me too," Rylee sighed sadly. She would have loved to talk to Ossë, he knew what the seduction of darkness felt like, succumbed to it and even fought back from it, while Rylee was still wallowing in it. She wanted to know how to escape it, or if it was even possible.

"You should go now Rylee," Uinen wrapped one of her pale, opalescent arms around her and gave her a half hug. "You might have time to stop at home and visit the Tree of Jewels, it has always given you peace. I will tell Ossë you were looking for him."

Rylee's heart stopped for a moment before it began to thunder in her chest. The Tree of Jewels, she could not remember how it happened to grow in the middle of the Hall of Thoughts but it was what brought Rylee back from the brink of darkness. The Hall was now called the Hall of Divine Treasures due to the magical tree that grew within. Rylee kissed Uinen on the cheek and whispered, "You are a genius, I love you Uinen. Thank you for everything!"

Rylee slipped from the rock and back into the water, swimming as hard as she could for the far shore. She felt wonderful, exhausted yet energized as she rose from the water and made her way ashore. She was completely dry the moment she stepped ashore, as though she was never even in the water, not a speck of seaweed on her entire body. The magic of the Path of Dreams was an amazing thing. She could see, feel, and hear everything, her interactions were completely real, as though her body was actually in Valinor and not at her home, in bed, curled into Kíli's arms. It was like the elements of the world had little to no effect on her person.

She thought of Mahal's halls and at the speed of thought she was at the doors to the Great Mansions she called home. The halls were warm, they always were in Mahal's Mansion, the great forges kept the entire place warm whether it was morning or night. It was silent, the hammers were not ringing against metal, stone, or wood and the place felt empty. It was one thing she always remembered about the dwelling places of the Valar and Maiar, when they were home the building would fill with a vibrancy that was unique to the owner. When they were away their energy would go with them, leaving behind a void. As Rylee walked through the halls, the only energy she could feel within came from the Tree of Jewels.

She stepped into the Hall of Divine Treasures, where it was said that many of the Valar and Maiar came to think and come up with ideas for creating and designing things of beauty, and looked around. Great paintings and portraits filled the walls, objects of beauty filled great glass cases that were positioned between the paintings. The curtains were drawn closed, there was no light entering the room from outside. The only light was that in the fireplace and yet the room was filled with bright colorful light. Rylee looked up at the tree, the tree that was purely made of gems, black onyx, green emeralds, red rubies, and garnets. A tree made of jewels and yet life flowed through it and filled the room with a gentle and vibrant power. Rylee closed her eyes and let the power wash over her, comforting her as it always had.

It was in its summer season and was covered in bright blossoming red roses. Every facet from every leaf and flower caught the faint glow of the firelight and cast rainbows of light around the room. The tree itself cast off so much light that there was no need for the curtains to be opened in order to light the entire room. It had grown since the last time she was in the Hall. The trunk was cracked and fissured, but no less strong than the day that it first arrived. The leaves were many shades of green unfurled and open, catching and reflecting the light of the fire. She stood in front of the tree. It was in bloom, bright red roses filled the branches, a faint breeze made the branches move and the leaves chime in a soft serene song of light and love.

"It is so beautiful, so pure. Of all things in Aman it is the one thing I am most connected to," She lovingly touched the trunk of the magical Tree of Jewels. Her whisper was choked with emotion and unshed tears, "I am too dark Eru. I have let myself become tainted."

"Are you tainted Rylee?" Ilúvatar's voice asked as the Hall filled with blinding light. He did not correct the use of the name she called him, since she learned to talk, she called him Eru. Rylee was trying not to look at him, afraid that she would not be able to, he was that pure. Ilúvatar pulled a rose from the tree making the gems tinkle and sing like chimes as the branches moved back into place after the flower was pulled away. "Or is it your fear that keeps you in the dark? Is it the dark things you have witnessed over the years of your life that create darkness in you? Is it the venom of Ungoliant's Unlight that flows through your veins? Or is it simply the choice you have made to see yourself as a dark creature?"

"I-I don't know," Rylee whispered softly. She looked in the general direction of the light, without trying to focus on him. "Can it be all of them? Everything around me is so confusing that I cannot seem to grasp it. So many evil things are happening in the world around me, I just don't know what to do anymore. How can I help Lerain if I cannot even help myself? How can I become pure again, as I once was, when I feel so completely lost? The only time I feel like myself is when-"

Rylee stopped, unable or unwilling to go on. Ilúvatar prodded her forward with gentle words, "Keep going Rylee, when do you feel like yourself?"

"When I am with Kíli," Rylee whispered softly. "He is the stars in the night. Kíli is the sun and the moon. I fear being away from him. I fear that I will fade just by being parted for even a short time."

"You fear many things Rylee, many more than you should," Ilúvatar sighed softly.

Rylee thought of her fears and where they began. She thought of the one being that was the creator of all darkness on Arda. Finally she gathered her courage and asked, "Eru, why did you allow the discord? You have the power to change everything and yet you did not. You allowed the discord and you allowed Morgoth to remain. Why?"

"Do you remember the story I told you all those years ago? The story about choices? How one person's choice can affect the path they will take?" Ilúvatar asked in return. Olorin, Gandalf was much like Ilúvatar in this manner, answering a question with a question, a riddle with a riddle.

"Yes, I remember, I will never forget it," Rylee said softly, "I still do not agree with his choice and I do not understand why he chose as he did. He could have been a father, he could have been happy, but he chose Morgoth. It was an accident, he could have been happy."

"You will come to understand the story Rylee, and when you do you will understand why I allowed Morgoth to remain," Ilúvatar told her softly, he was always gentle with her, even when he was angry and giving punishment, he was gentle. "When you tell Lerain the story of Thrái you will begin to understand the meaning behind it. Just do me one favor, tell no one about their daughter, her time has not yet come."

"Will I ever see her again Eru?" Rylee asked suddenly, full of curiosity. "Will I ever see Lys again?"

"Perhaps in time, to do so you must finish this quest and complete all of your tasks," Eru told her softly, "do you remember them?"

"Well I found my Archer and he is trying to teach me. My memory has been restored so I have found what has been lost. Thranduil still holds what is mine and I don't think he will part with it easily," Rylee sighed at the thought of confronting him. He never did like her much. From the day he met her, he showed her his dislike and that only grew once his father pushed the betrothal on them. "He thought I disliked him for his scars and because of what the dragons did to him, even though I promised him that was not the case. He will see my marriage to Kíli as deception and dishonesty. He will want to know why I left him to go after Ancalagon."

"And you will explain it to him, just as you will finally explain the birth of the stone that he has in his possession." Eru said softly. They both knew that she once tried to explain the origin of the Star and the Rose to Oropher, yet he never listened. The stubborn Elf would not hear her words and refused to let her continue speaking before she was unceremoniously locked into her rooms with guards at the door. "Námo was very unhappy with Oropher's actions, both those that he enacted against you and his impatience in the last battle against Sauron. Had he been patient, your current quest would not be quite so essential."

"What do you mean?" Rylee asked in surprise. Námo was neither patient nor forgiving when it came to injustices done by the children of Ilúvatar. He did not discriminate between the races when it came to allocating justice for foul actions. Her heart stopped and her stomach clenched tightly. She thought of all of the things that Oropher did, his theft of the Star would be among the worst. His actions in battle, though he thought them wise, would be seen as treason against Gil-galad, his true commander. Treachery was a horrendous crime. When Rylee returned for her third quest, Fleet told her that Maeglin was sentenced to the Void, along with his commanders, so were the Nogrod Dwarves that led the massacre in the Glittering Caves of Menegroth. Their followers were chained until they proved their loyalty in Dagor Dagorath. Even Saeros was sent to the void for his attempt to kill Turin. The only saving grace for Oropher was that he was a loyal, kind, and generous Elf, when he wasn't being foolish. Rylee looked up into the bright halos that surrounded Eru as it dawned on her what his punishment would be, "Oropher is chained isn't he?"

"Until the Star has been returned, he will remain chained," Eru agreed softly, "He has already been forgiven for his actions in battle, for while they were unwise, his intent was not evil. As for the Star, it is now up to his kin to find wisdom where he did not."

"So you agree with Námo's judgment on this?" Rylee asked him feeling somewhat surprised. Eru very rarely interfered or intervened in the lives of the Valar or of any of his children.

"It is a fair verdict and punishment for stealing from me and my War Maiden," his tone was soft and Rylee gasped in surprise. "The Rose and the Star were made by my hand and were made for you and you alone. For Oropher to take the Star from the Rose was a defacement of my work, for him to use it as a token of a betrothal to someone who was not your One was unbecoming of my laws, for him to keep it after you wisely counseled him to return it was blasphemy. The punishment is therefore quite befitting of the crimes. Now, do you remember the rest of your quest?"

"I am to Change the Hands of Fate," Rylee whispered, her heart stopped as she thought of losing Thorin, Fíli or Kíli. She could not live without Kíli, her heart would shatter if she lost him. To lose Thorin and Fíli as well, the world may as well end in that very moment for she would not want to take another breath within it. "I don't want to lose them, I just found my family Eru, and I cannot lose them. If I fail-"

"The world will not end, but it will be darker and the time of Elves and Dwarves will come to a close before it is time. Failure is not a welcome conclusion, you must do all that you can to ensure that you succeed in saving all three," Ilúvatar admonished her sternly, still his voice was gentle and shivers ran down her spine. "There was one more, have you forgotten?"

"I did not forget Eru," Rylee whispered softly. Her voice was reverent and emotional, filled with love for Him. "It is rare that I forget the words that you say to me. 'Be blessed, live fully, for this is to be your last,' I am trying to embrace life, your words gave me the courage to give Kíli my token and to say yes when he asked to be married."

"This is a good start, there is more you must do to fulfill this task," Ilúvatar chuckled softly, his laughter was a mix of bells and thunder and it was the most beautiful sound Rylee could ever remember hearing in her entire life. He handed her the rose he had plucked from the tree and held it out for her to take, "Give this token to Lerain when you tell her the Lore of Thrái. Have you given thought to what I told you when I gave you the Rose and Star?"

"You told me that during my quests I would be surrounded by darkness, that I would be tempted to fall," Without thought, she looked up into the blinding face of Ilúvatar and gasped. White light filled her eyes, opalescent and shining, brighter than anything she could ever imagine or explain, and yet to her surprise it did not pain her to look at him. "You promised me that no matter how dark it became, as long as I looked for the light inside myself I would find my way home to you."

"You will face the darkness many times on this quest Rylee. You must remain strong and fight the temptation," Ilúvatar told her quietly. He touched her hand where it rested on the trunk of the Tree of Jewels. Rylee closed her eyes at the familiar rush of electricity and power that flowed through her as his essence surrounded her. When she opened her eyes they were standing together before The Path of Dreams.

"Morgoth still fights to regain his power, doesn't he?" Rylee asked sadly as she thought of the darkness of the road ahead. Sauron was gaining power in the mortal world. Instinctively she knew that Morgoth was trying to do the same from within the Timeless Void. It was the only reason why Mikhaul would be gone so often and return so completely exhausted.

"It is his nature to want that which is not his to have. However, he is not of your concern, you have other responsibilities," Eru said sagely. He did not deny and yet he didn't affirm her question either. Rylee looked at the silver path set before her. She felt his hands on her shoulders, he turned her and nudged her gently down the path. Rylee could hear the smile in his voice when he spoke next, "Go now, your quest awaits."

They woke as sun was barely brushing the horizon. Rylee stretched her limbs and Kíli pulled her back against him dropping kisses along the nape of her neck and her shoulder. "Welcome back."

"Hmm, good to be back," Rylee whispered softly in the soft morning light. She wiggled around in his embrace until she was facing him so she could brush a soft kiss over his lips.

"Did you see Ossë?" Kíli asked her. She seemed reflective and at peace for the moment but Kíli knew that she would not stay that way for long.

"No, Uinen will give him my message though," Rylee told him. She told him everything that transpired while she was in Valinor, including her visit to the Tree of Jewels and her conversation with Eru.

Kíli was silent for a long moment, feeling both humble and quite awed by her journey. Even though he met Mahal, Kíli still found it amazing that he was truly married to someone who was so closely connected to the Valar. It put many things into perspective and yet raised so many questions. If the Valar were so close, why did they not step in when bad things happened in Middle-Earth? Rylee tried to explain it to him. The need for distance between the Valar and the Children of Middle-Earth was vital in the keeping of free will. This was why the Valar did not intercede when Oropher took the Star of Ilúvatar, even though they were in Beleriand at the time fighting in the War of Wrath.

The maintenance in the balance of free will versus the powers of control over others was the one Rule of Eru that the Valar took the most serious. Rarely during the history of Arda had the Valar ever interceded on the behalf of the children and only did so when Eru allowed it. She went on to explain that a person's actions in life would only ever be fully judged by Námo, Manwë, and Varda upon death or upon arrival in Valinor. After a few conversations with Rylee, Kíli understood now why it was actually a nearly traitorous act that Mahal did when he created the Dwarves, why it was truly important to honor both Mahal and Eru in life and in prayer.

"So you are saying that Thranduil and his family are the only ones who can release Oropher from the Chains of Mandos?" Kíli asked thoughtfully. He agreed with Eru, it was a fitting punishment for the crimes that he committed.

"Aye and that will only happen if he returns the Star of Ilúvatar," Rylee sighed, a small frown marred her face, "I can only hope that he has become more reasonable since I last saw him. He was not very open-minded when I knew him in the First Age."

They rose from the bed at the sound of a cart being pulled up the path and the soft voices of several Elves as they talked about how much stuff this couple suddenly seemed to own. They looked out the window at the cart that was being hauled up the path. It was overflowing with what looked to be furniture wrapped in gold string. Rylee gave Kíli a pointed look, "The Company is up to their pranks again."

"It would seem so. I really do not own that much, so there should be no need for a cart," Kíli said with a small grin.

Rylee shook her head with an amused sigh, "Shall we go see what they have brought for us?"

They both dressed quickly, Kíli wore only his new breaches from the wedding since they were the only ones he had available to him. Rylee pulled on a pair of black breaches and a pale green tunic that hung to her thighs. She pulled it into place with a thick black belt embroidered with threads of red mithril. They ran down the stairs as quickly as their feet would carry them.

They were opening the door just as the first pair of Elves carried in one of the benches from the courtyard where the dwarves were quartered. Kíli's bow was tied to the piece of furniture with strings of twine, knotted and braided intricately, to the point that if Kíli wanted to safely remove his bow, each knot would have to be untwined by hand. His sword, daggers, shovel, pack, belt, and each single article of his clothing were similarly tied hostage to the elves furniture.

"Mahal help us! I forgot about this," Kíli groaned looking at the mass of knotted twine.

"Forgot what? Is there some reason why Fíli's sword is tied to your bow?" Rylee asked after examining the bench, "or why Orcrist is wrapped in your socks, which is tied to that pillow?"

"'Tis an old wedding tradition, meant to test our love and devotion to each other. They usually just tie the wedding gifts together into one massive bundle, but it looks like they have improvised by tying up their weapons and the furnishings from the courtyard. We cannot cut the strings. For every knot and braid we unravel, the stronger our union will be," Kíli sighed as he looked at the Elves as they carried several more pieces of furniture into the large living area of the House of Aulë. "Dwalin's axes are in the legs of my trousers, and Bofur's mattock is tied to my tunic. There looks to be something lumpy tied amongst it."

"I am afraid that every piece is strung up similarly," one of the Elves told them with a twinkle in his eyes, as he regarded the dwarf couple standing before them. A couple of the other Elves chuckled at the elaborate prank that the Dwarf Company pulled off. "The one called Fíli said that your wedding gifts are hidden within, and they still expect to see you for breakfast."

Rylee started to laugh and Kíli looked at her and grinned. It always surprised him how willing she was to be the butt of a joke or prank. It was between breaths that she gasped, "Fíli would hide our gifts in this mess. They know quite well that you have no other clothes to wear, otherwise they wouldn't use your britches to hold Dwalin's axes."

"Aye, we have no choice but to go through all of this and untie it all," Kíli quirked his brow at her, a smile played about his mouth.

"Aye, I suppose we do have to unwrap it all, otherwise you are going bare," Rylee snorted in her mirth.

Kíli shook his head at her as he waited for her to calm down, "They will expect us to be bringing their weapons to them."

"Do we really have to return them?" Rylee asked hesitantly. Hauling the massive amount of weapons back to the main house seemed like a needless task, so she suggested, "Can we not just invite them here so they can retrieve them themselves?"

"We could hide them around the house so the Company has to play seek and find if they want their weapons back." Kíli suggested with a mischievous grin. He continued on a note of sarcasm, "Since they so obviously want to move their quarters here, we may as well make it interesting."

"Well, they did donate all of their furniture, we are lucky that there is plenty of room," Rylee laughed. She sent a cheeky grin to the four Elves who were now finished with the furniture, "You won't tell them of our plan will you?"

"Wouldn't dream of it Rúnyatári, as long as we don't have to haul it all back to the main house," said one of the Elves as they turned towards the door, "We are to report to Glorfindel for our next orders, so we will not be seeing your company again anytime soon."

"Very well then," Rylee said with a grin, "Thank you very much for your assistance. If you need anything in return, please let us know."

"It was no trouble My Lady," the last Elf through the door grinned at her, "have fun with your knots."

Kíli and Rylee looked at the furniture and then at each other. They set to work, knowing that before long they would need to depart for breakfast on the terrace where they were to meet with the others. Rylee stopped at one point and looked up at Kíli, "You don't really think Thorin would allow the Company to stay here do you?"

"No, I would be surprised if he did," Kíli smiled at her. They were newlyweds, there was no way that Thorin wanted to be anywhere near them during a time meant for intimacy. Rylee blushed as Kíli's eyes slowly meandered over her body, she turned back to her knots to keep herself from mauling him and Kíli chuckled softly.

"I wonder who took it upon themselves to wrap Oin's Battle Staff in your long underwear," Rylee said as she gently worried a knot open on the very items she spoke of.

"'Tis the only thing I own that is long enough to fit it," Kíli blushed in embarrassment, then laughed as he imagined the old healer's expression if he knew where his weapon was, "Whoever it was, they seem to have enjoyed wrapping it up, there are more knots on my long underwear than any other garment or weapon."

"I knew Durin was cheeky old dodger, and Kaia was always up for a prank, but I never thought the trait was to be engrained so completely in all of his descendants," Rylee snorted as she found a framed picture tied with hundreds of fine knots to a settee. "This must be from Ori, 'tis a drawing of the wedding, he even framed it."

Rylee used her knowledge of knots to unravel many of the finely twined bindings, Kíli watched for a moment before he moved closer and Rylee showed him a few tricks to make the task faster. For every item of clothing they found of Kíli's they found one of the Dwarves weapons as well as a gift from one of the members of the Company. They placed the weapons in one pile, the gifts in another, and moved the furniture into a place around the large room to accommodate their guests later. Rylee painstakingly rolled the twine into tight coils, using one of the large bowls from the kitchen to contain them all.

Kíli found a box containing a matching pair of daggers from Dwalin strung up within a pair of cushions from the sofa. Balin gave them each a Journal for planning their crafts which was hidden within a chest of drawers tied tightly shut. Dori gave them each a pair of well made leather belts, while Nori made them tall feather quills with bone finger pads near the sharp metal tips, with inkpots made of white bone carved with their personal sigils.

Bofur and Bifur made them an intricate chess board that doubled as a box in which to contain the pieces. There were dragons for pieces on one side, and the heroes on the other, these were hidden within Kíli's jacket pockets, sleeves, and hood. Rylee fingered the assembled pieces and showed Kíli. She had tears in his eyes as she whispered, "Looks like Ori has finally deciphered First Age Khuzdul, these are all from my accounts in my journal."

"Aye he finished while you were in the forge," Kíli said watching her carefully. Tears ran down her cheeks but there was a small lift to her lips that belied the pain that had obviously caught her. Ori spent the entire week regaling them all with tales of her battles. Kíli didn't get to hear most of it since he was too worried about Rylee to listen, but the night she agreed to marry, he spent a good portion of the night reading Ori's translations. The chess pieces were obviously well imagined depictions taken from her descriptions and drawings in her journal. Bofur and Bifur were both Masters of their craft and it showed in the delicately carved pieces. "You don't mind that they used your accounts to make them? I know many of the heroes were your friends and they are gone now."

"They have been honored in a way I could never have imagined. Only Fram and Fleet Took should be counted among the heroes, and Scatha and Esgaud among the dragons," Rylee sniffled wiping away her tears. She set up the game on a low table and put all the pieces in place, as though waiting for someone to play the game. She picked up the pieces that depicted Glaurung and Ancalagon. Ancalagon was being used at the King since he was the largest dragon, and Glaurung as the Queen. Rylee thought this both ironic and wrong. There was still one dragon that the Company didn't know about, Rylee looked at Kíli and asked, "Should I tell them of the Dragon Queen Kíli? Should I tell the others of Gostir?"

"Only if you are ready to," Kíli said softly, taking the two dragons from her hands and placing them on the board. He didn't see it as anyone's business and Kíli knew that she had a hard enough time telling him about the trauma that led up to and surrounded that battle, even after fifty years. He was not going to pressure her to tell anyone about the Dragon who nearly killed her, or the terror that came after that near death experience. "You have spent years with many of these people and have never felt comfortable telling them, what is the rush to do so now?"

"I lied to Thorin. It kills me inside that I lied. Thorin thinks he knows, but he doesn't know what you do," Rylee told him meeting his gaze. Kíli pulled her into his arms and held her tight. She clutched him tight against her as she confessed, "He doesn't know everything."

"He will understand Rylee," Kíli promised her as he rubbed her back, kissing her temple. "When you are ready you will tell them everything."

He held her for several minutes as Rylee collected herself and allowed herself to settle the doubts that ate at her. Rylee pulled away from Kíli, thankful for his support and the empathy he gave her. She kissed him softly, brushing her lips over his, then she sighed softly and looked around the cluttered room, "I suppose we should get back to work, eh?"

They went back to work unraveling more and more knots, discovering more wedding presents and retrieving Kíli's clothing. Oin gave them a box of tea hidden inside a compartment under a fancy footrest. Not only was the footrest tied with intricate knots, so was the actual box of tea and herbs, tightly wrapped and tied into Kíli's light blue undershirt. After several minutes of struggle Rylee finally freed the shirt and tossed it at Kíli's head, laughing loudly at his surprised face. In turn Kíli tossed a twine ball at her head. Rylee shrieked in surprise as she caught it and tackled him, pinning him to the floor. She sat on him, with his hands pinned under her legs at his side, her hands on each side of his face holding him in place. Kíli was completely at her mercy. She looked down at him with a huge grin, "Whatever will I do with you Kíli?"

"Whatever you like Rylee, I am at your service," Kíli smirked up at her expecting her to kiss him. She laughed and leaned forward, kissing his forehead, eyebrows, eyelids, cheeks, nose, and chin. He frowned up at her wanting her to claim his mouth. She continued to pepper his face with small kisses until he was fighting to lift her off of him, wanting to take control. "You are driving me to madness Rylee, I want your lips on mine."

"You only had to ask my love," Rylee teased before brushing her lips over his. Soft, sweet, and light, her lips teased his with seductively drugging kisses. Her hot breath made his lips tingle and his heart race. She slowly eased down his body until her hips were over his, straddling him. All the while she kept brushing her slow soft kisses on his lips. He growled at her as he belatedly realized that she released his arms. He rolled them over and pressed her into the ground, threading his hands into her hair. He held her close, devouring her mouth as he wished. His kisses were deep, intimate, and roaring with heat.

When finally he broke away they were both gasping for breath, still he whispered, "'Tis unfortunate that we are expected for lunch on the terrace. I would much prefer to eat here."

"Kíli, do not tempt me, such words will only lead us both to trouble," Rylee breathed softly as she ran her hands over his shoulders and arms. "We were to meet Thorin and the Company for breakfast, and thanks to their wedding prank we will be late enough as it is."

"I suppose I will have to wait for tonight," He sighed as he brushed his lips over hers one last time before pressing up onto his knees, "let's hurry this up, the faster we get on with our day, the faster I can have you back in my arms and in my bed."

They got back to work discovering more presents hidden among Kíli's clothes and the various weapons of the company. To accompany the tea, Bombur gave them a rack filled with little pots of spices for Kíli to cook with. This was packed in Kíli's cloak and then tied to the back of a chair along with Ori's slingshot and several of Fíli's daggers. Gloin created a small treasure box for the pair of them, a place where they could put all of their beads, jewels, and clasps when not wearing them. It was hidden inside of a tall vase which in turn was tied closed and braided and strung between the four legs of a small table, along with Balin's sword. Thorin and Fíli gave them a Smith's tool kit, filled with an assortment of tools made for intricate metal work. It was large enough that it stood alone on top of the other pieces but tied with so many strings of twine that it took nearly half an hour just to get the kit free from the string.

The bowl of twine was nearly overflowing with twelve large spooled balls of thick golden thread. Every weapon that Rylee knew the company carried was in the pile, along with many that she had never seen them use before. Their gifts were set carefully to the side for safekeeping and Kíli was finally able to change his clothes. Then he stood over her and offered her his hands, pulling her to her feet. He grinned at her pulling her towards the pile of the Company's weapons, "So, are you ready to play a game of hide the weapons?"

"Rules of the game, all weapons must be hidden on this floor, within the house. I do not want anyone traipsing around in our bedroom, nor do I want them searching all over Rivendell. Otherwise let's do this," Rylee agreed with a small smirk. "What should we give to the company member who finds their weapon the fastest?"

"Hmm, a weapon? You are great at making them," Kíli suggested thoughtfully, "I cannot imagine that they would want one of my trinkets."

"Then they are fools not to. Your trinkets are treasures Kíli, you must realize that." Rylee said softly looking up at him. He seemed to hide from the fact that he was talented, the fact that his natural ability was worth something. "What if we allow them to make a request? Not all of the company is keen on weapons like Fíli and Dwalin are, Bombur would probably like food, and Bifur would love a new paint kit, his are getting pretty low. Nori could use some new pins since his are getting dull and bent from use and time, not that I condone the nature of his particular talent, but one never knows when one might need to pick a lock."

"I didn't realize you knew of his particular talent. That is a good idea though, personalized prize to the first who finds their weapon. Shall we get to work?" Kíli picked up Orcrist and moved to hide it inside one of the tall vases beside the tall windows. Rylee took Dwalin's heavy axes, Grasper and Keeper, and secured them to the top of one of the tall bookcases in the study off the main living area, out of sight. Fíli's knives were hidden in plain sight, along with several of Rylee's old knives and swords that were hung above the mantle. It took them more than an hour to hide every weapon well enough that each Dwarf would not easily be able to find it.

"Well now that we are done, we are really late for breakfast, it is closer to lunch," Rylee lamented and her stomach was making loud angry growling noises.

"Hmm yes, I see, we better feed that beast before it starts devouring you from the inside," Kíli joked poking lightly at her belly making Rylee squirm away from him.

Rylee grabbed her black satchel and placed each of the gifts within it, then she closed the sack and Kíli watched with wonder as she carried it back up stairs as though it weighed no more than when she brought it down. Kíli knew that all of the weapons that she made were already in that very satchel and she was planning to put all of his new weapons into the bag as well. "It is good that the satchel is linked with Aman, or there would be no way to carry all of this to Erebor."

"I agree. My bedroom in Mahal's Mansion must be packed nearly to the brim with my belongings by now. It is a good thing that this stuff is actually useful." Rylee smiled at him as she returned with a box. "Here I will let you open this one, it is our wedding gift from Curumo, sorry, I mean Saruman."

"Must be strange, all of your friends from Aman have different names from when you last saw them," Kíli smiled taking the box from her. He was trying not to imagine what her bedroom in Mahal's Mansion might look like, if the bed was big enough for both of them.

"It just takes getting used to, I suppose, I got used to Gandalf's name quickly enough," She replied softly. Standing before him, she watched as he pulled the string and peeled away the fabric wrapping to reveal a long pale wooden box.

Kíli flipped the fine metal clip that locked it and opened the box. Within were a pair of fine silver chains and strung on each were hammered silver pendants, etched with the Emblem of Durin on one side and the Emblem of Emitheral one the other. Kíli picked one up to examine it. The Durin side had an anvil and hammer surmounted with the Crown of Durin surmounted with the seven stars of the Valacirca. The other side had a pair of axes surmounted with the seven stars of the Valacirca within a ring of flames. "This is your Emblem?"

"Aye, I came up with it shortly after I created my weapons." Rylee nodded as she took one of the chains and placed it around Kíli's neck. Kíli did the same for her, kissing the nape of her neck as he closed the link on the chain.

"If I was not your One I would wonder if you were not supposed to be with Durin the Deathless. The emblems complement each other so well." Kíli smiled at her. He was thankful that she was not in fact his ancestor's One, thankful that she was his.

"That's only because we both used the Valacirca on our Emblems. Thrái, the seventh of the original Dwarrowdams, was meant to be Durin's One," Rylee explained softly. There was so much yet to tell Kíli of her history and so much that she still did not know of his. She hoped that they had centuries together so that they could learn and know everything there was to know. "She had black hair and lavender colored eyes. I have been told that I look like her in many ways, it was likely what confused poor Durin. Eridith was her reincarnation and we were often mistaken as sisters."

"Why would Eridith be a reincarnation of Thrái? Why wasn't she with Durin when they woke?" Kíli asked in surprise, there was no accounting of Durin's One being created by Mahal. Durin woke alone in Gundabad and travelled from there. It was well known that his wife was the daughter of a Blacklocks Prince.

"Thrái died before the Dwarves awoke in Middle-Earth when her lover set in motion terrible actions that tilted the balance in the favor of Morgoth. Whatever good that remained in his soul, died with her when he made the choice to join Morgoth and forsake Thrái. It is one of the many reasons that I was created," Rylee told him quietly. She sighed softly as she remembered the sad tale and her confusion as to why it ended as it did. "She was reincarnated as Eridith to create balance in Middle-Earth, especially since I was never meant to remain in the First Age. Eridith was Jovina's cousin."

"None of this is written in the histories of the Dwarves," Kíli said in confusion, his brow furrowed.

Rylee smiled at him with sad eyes, "Of course not, it happened in Aman just after Eru gave life and will to the Fathers and their Ones. It was long before the Dwarves or even the Elves were woken in Middle-Earth. No one in Middle-Earth knows the tale, even Eridith was oblivious to her beginnings and that was how it had to be. There was fear that if she remembered her previous life, she would return to her lover."

"But you knew her when you saw her," Kíli guessed as he watched Rylee's face as she remembered her history lessons.

"Of course, I saw her tapestry and Eru told me her tale," Rylee said softly. Her face was somber and sad.

"Wait, if she lived before the Elves were woken, who was her lover?" Kíli asked in confusion. Whoever it was they were immortal, otherwise there would be no danger of Eridith ever meeting him again.

"Once he was called Mairon," Rylee whispered.

They fell silent for long minutes, Kíli thought the name sounded familiar, but he used to pay so little to Balin's history lessons. The vast number of Valar and Maiar beyond Mahal and Eru were hard to keep track of, besides the history books didn't bring them to life like Rylee's memories and descriptions of them did. He knew more now about the Valar and Maiar then he ever did in his youth. He just could not remember which Maia Mairon was.

Rylee thought of the path that Thrái was forced onto and the fact that she could find good within someone so corrupt. "I cannot fall into darkness Kíli, I cannot become what he did."

"I would never allow you to fall to darkness Rylee, Mahal would kill me if I let it happen," Kíli told her succinctly.


	30. Happy Returns

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, any of Tolkien's works or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either. I own only my OC's and that which I have created.**

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**Sorry for the long wait, I have been going over this chapter again and again. It grew and then I hacked it down, then it grew again in a different direction, and I hacked it apart again. Somehow it is still another huge chapter. I really don't know how that happens. Regardless, I hope you enjoy it. Please let me know what you think. **

Chapter 30

June 15

Happy Returns

Rylee and Kíli were late, which was not a surprise. Thorin felt the lads went a little overboard with the sheer number of knots. As it was, they were up all night, and there were several heavy yawns coming from the Dwarves seated at the breakfast table. Other than the Dwarves, Elorin, and Rylee's female Elven friends, the terrace was deserted. Elorin was becoming impatient since he did have work to do at the forge, but he wanted to see Rylee and Kíli before he set out for work, wanting to give them his and Elihara's wedding gifts. The ladies sat among the dwarves, chatting with them and laughing at their jokes, while they waited for Rylee to arrive.

It was a large round table, low to the ground with cushions instead of chairs, so that more people could sit together. Thorin sat with Galadriel on one side and Jovina on the other. Dori and Ori were seated to Jovina's right, Lerain sat on the far side of them, strangely at ease considering Dwalin sat to her right. She was even chatting softly with him, which surprised Thorin. Dwalin wasn't one to talk much unless it was about battle strategy, politics, or Weapon Smithing. Beyond Dwalin sat Bifur and Bofur who was flirting outrageously with Rohinna. Her lilting laugh rose into the air every few minutes.

Nori sat beside Rohinna trying to look nonchalant and failing miserably. Between him and Fíli there were a pair of cushions waiting for Rylee and Kíli to arrive. Beyond Fíli sat Gloin and Oin, who kept getting into the middle of the flirtatious conversation of Fíli and Kalyna. Oin's voice carried as he tried and failed to keep up with the conversation, putting in the odd nonsensical comments that he was prone to adding. Bombur sat between Kalyna and Elihara, he never really said much, just merrily ate the food put before him. Elorin and Balin sat between Elihara and Galadriel.

The group was merry and jovial, after over two weeks among the Elves the company were becoming more accepting of the ladies that were with them. These ladies were becoming quite accustomed to the Dwarves, Kalyna and Elihara didn't even blink when Bofur tossed food across the table into Bombur's mouth. At one point Elihara even grabbed her napkin and wiped a small bit of mess off of Bombur's beard before turning back to her conversation with Balin and Elorin. The rotund Dwarf blushed bright pink and smiled sheepishly while Kalyna rolled her eyes and whispered, "At least it wasn't me this time."

"A bit of a mother hen is she?" Bombur asked suddenly, with a small chuckle.

"A bit is an exaggeration," Kalyna giggled in response, "she says it is her Dwarf side, I just think she's crazy."

"I have ears you impetuous imp," Elihara jested in return, tossing the soiled napkin in her daughter's face. Kalyna sputtered as Bombur laughed at the pair.

Across the table Lerain was asking Dwalin about the best weight required for a proper fighting staff and he was telling her about what she could fix to adjust her stance to make her movements more stealthy and fluid. Dori was fussing over Ori, trying to get his younger brother to eat some of the healthy vegetables that were placed before him. They were getting into a small heated squabble when suddenly Lerain turned, looked at the pair, picked up the carrot stick and unceremoniously popped it into Ori's mouth. She placed her hand over his lips and in a growl that would put Dwalin's to shame ordered, "Chew."

Ori did, his eyes wide as the juicy carrot crunched between his teeth. Dori chuckled, looked at the Elven lass and said, "My thanks my Lady, but you might want to remove your hand before you find yourself suddenly wed to my brother. Face touching is an act of courting in Dwarvish customs."

Lerain snatched her hand back and blushed crimson as she looked at Ori, whispering sincerely, "I am so terribly sorry Master Ori! I never meant offence! And Daeron! Oh my! I apologize."

Ori swallowed the carrot and smiled bashfully, "It is quite alright My Lady, as you would not know our customs would you? Apology accepted."

Lerain turned back to Dwalin, just narrowly missing as Ori reached for the bowl of carrots, snagging a few for his plate. Dori grinned in delight wondering if it might be worth force feeding his brother a few more of the sweeter vegetables. "Lerain, it looks like Ori likes your choice in vegetables, are there any more that you would suggest he try?"

"Well, I am not a fan of the Brussels-sprouts or the broccoli," Lerain started softly as Rohinna handed her a bowl of chopped green peppers.

"You must try the peppers Master Ori," Rohinna smiled encouragingly. "They are sweet and juicy at the same time. They are also fresh from my garden."

Bofur noticed the soft musical quality in her voice and asked, "Do you sing my Lady?"

"Not for years Master Bofur," Rohinna admitted softly. She thought of that for a long moment. There was a time when just thinking of singing would bring fear, pain, and sorrow. These past days with Lerain and Jovina was teaching her many things, and one of them was about letting go of the pain and embracing the parts that were not perfect. "I used to sing for my mother when I was just a young elleth."

"What made you stop?" Bofur asked quietly as his cousin signed the question in Iglishmek.

"I was attacked as a child and my captors would make me sing for my dinner," Rohinna whispered softly in remembrance. There was pain to speak of it, but it was not as bad as it once was, it was rather uplifting to say the words out loud. "If I refused or if I faltered they would use it as an excuse to harm me. After I escaped, I could not bear to sing, there was no longer joy in the act."

"Don't the plants like it?" Nori asked suddenly looking up at her expectantly. Rohinna met his eyes in surprise, he was the one Dwarf who seemed to avoid her at all costs. To hear him ask her a direct question was almost shocking. He continued when he obviously wasn't getting an answer, "In the scriptures when they describe Mahal's Bride, they say that she would make them grow with a song in her heart. You are a gardener so you should know, do the plants like it?"

Rohinna thought for a moment before she responded, wondering where this was going, "Well of course they do! Rylee once told me that Yavanna sings to her plants to help them grow, so I suppose they would enjoy it."

Nori turned to her and handed her one of the daisies from the vase on the table. Rohinna furrowed her brow in confusion as he smiled at her, indicating the flower. "Then perhaps it is time to find a new reason to sing."

"Perhaps you are right," Rohinna said thoughtfully, slipping into silence for several long moments before Bofur and Bifur pulled her back into conversation. Ori's plate held a small selection of vegetables that Lerain was hand picking from the platters before them, telling him of the ways to tell which ones would offer the best flavor, and then describing the taste as she offered it. There were a few that he set aside with a shake of his head, but many more were going into his mouth than ever before.

Nori and Fíli released synchronized yawns and Elorin looked at them in suspicion. He looked from face to face among the Company and knew immediately that something was up. To a dwarf they all looked equally guilty, pleased and utterly exhausted. He gave Fíli and Bofur a hard look and asked, "What, pray tell, did you do?"

"Oh nothing much, just following an old family tradition. We made sure that our gifts would be well remembered," Fíli smirked, winking at Kalyna. Her eyebrows rose in question but he was not interested in elaborating.

"Since they tied the knot, we figured that we would give them some knots to untie," Bofur added cheekily. He lightly elbowed Rohinna in the ribs, "You thought your subterfuge would work, but we still managed to get one past you."

"Ah, but you were not able to get near them during the honeymoon, and that my dear Bofur was the point," Rohinna countered with a chuckle of her own.

They had waited days to see the pair and to play a prank on them, this morning they were given the chance to do both. The entire company, other than Gandalf and Bilbo, knew about it. He couldn't wait to see Rylee and Kíli hauling back all of their weapons and forcing those poor Elves to haul all their furniture back into its rightful place. Fíli winked at Kalyna again and smirked, "No worries, they will be along shortly."

Thorin chuckled as he glanced at the Company. If he were to bet, he would say that Rylee and Kíli would turn the prank around on Fíli and Bofur. Handing over all of their furnishings and their weapons made a return prank easy pickings and Kíli was never one to turn down an opportunity to return a favor. Rylee would be all over any plan that he came up with, she was not a jokester by nature, but was always up for a laugh and always looking for the silver lining in every situation.

So they waited for the couple to be finished untying the knots that would test their patience with each other and their predicament. In the meantime, the dwarves were having a great time feasting on their late breakfast. Jovina was sitting beside him, ignoring the group, not making eye contact and generally avoiding all possible contact with anyone she did not already know. Thorin leaned toward her and softly whispered, "What is it that you are trying to avoid? I have already told them that you hold some form of sight, there is nothing to fear from them."

"It takes a great deal of energy to use the power," Jovina whispered back meeting his gaze, "but it takes a larger amount of power to withhold it on a person I have never read before."

Thorin narrowed his gaze as he looked down at her, "Explain this."

"I have read your soul, therefore it is easier to block you from my mind when my eyes meet yours," Jovina grumbled quietly, she hated having to explain how simply being normal was impossible for her, "I have not read any of the others, so to block them would take nearly as much energy as it would to read their souls. I am not ready to do that yet."

"I do not see why not," Thorin scoffed and looked around the table, they were all gathered, and everyone was relaxed and happy. "Now is as good a time as any."

"Because not everyone's path is pleasant and I tend to speak my mind," Jovina said coldly. She was not ready to read everyone, not on a day when they were meant to have a good time and celebrate the return of Rylee and Kíli from their honeymoon days. "I do not wish to sour the mood of the day. This can wait until tomorrow."

"Fine," Thorin conceded quietly looking around the table. They were all joking loudly, drinking tea, coffee, juice, and water since there was no Ale available at this time of the morning in the Elven dining hall. Every once in a while food would fly in the direction of Bombur who would catch the portion in his mouth. He was becoming a bit of a mess whenever someone would miss. "I advise you not to wait long, they are beginning to mistrust you as it is, since you have declined all of their invitations and you seem to prefer the presence of Elves."

"What is wrong with being in the presence of Elves?" Jovina asked as her defenses began to bristle. She heard the note of disdain when he said the word Elves. She narrowed her eyes at him. Of the things she saw within his soul, blatant hate was not one of them, mistrust and suspicion were there, but that was common of Dwarves. He met her eyes suddenly and she was unable to pull back her powers before he could turn away. She was able to delve into his essence and his spirit, to see the light and the darkness that lived within him. She could see that he was a man of great compassion and empathy, but only for those he cared for, his people, his brethren. He was a strong leader who looked to others for advice yet was fully capable of making a decision on his own. Once the decision was made there was no going back and yet his mind all too often lingered in the past, not relinquishing the ties that bound him to it.

She could see all of the paths before him, the dozens that there were, yet the moment she looked behind him into the past all she felt was pain. Deep, lingering, and festering, like raw and open wounds, horrendous amounts of pain. Pain of body, from old wounds that never mended quite the way they were supposed to. Pain of mind and memory, of things that happened that were just too difficult to look back on and too raw to let go. Loss of family and friends, in the hundreds, the grief was insurmountable. There was also pain of spirit, she could feel that his faith was once broken, broken beyond return and somehow he had found a way to heal his spirit. It was the moment that the memories began to brew that she found her control, she forcibly pulled her mind away from his and slammed the door closed. She did not want to know his past, she did not want breach his trust in such a way, it was the one power that she hated more than knowing the future path. Seeing the past was often so much worse.

She gasped and blinked in the sudden hard light of day, the pressure building behind her eyes, quickly blossoming into a dull throbbing headache. She shook it off and muttered softly, "You and your God-daughter are going to be the death of me. Strong minded fools, the pair of you."

"You would be wise to stay out of my head then," Thorin told her, his tone was much colder than what it was before. He didn't know what she saw when she looked into his soul, but he felt it, whatever it was she was dredging up emotions best left long in the past. "You tried to look into my past did you not? What did you see?"

"No, that is one place I will not venture, I learned long ago that the past was best left alone. I only allow myself to feel the emotions that linger from the past. For most people, including you, I feel pain and loss," Jovina whispered hoarsely. She covered her eyes with the heels of her hands, blocking out the bright light. "Your past is of darkness, your present is murky, and your future can be whatever you wish it to be. The choice is yours whether you fall in defeat and in darkness, or rise and become one with the light. Your intentions in these coming months will either help or hinder Rylee in her quest. She cannot save you without your help."

"So you did not see anything that has happened," Thorin nearly sighed with relief. He did not want this slip of a Dwarrowdam delving into his darkest memories, nor did he want her in his private thoughts. He did not like the way he felt pulled into her while she read his soul, or how everything seemed to fall away when he looked into the black twilight of her never ending eyes. As it was she confused him, the last thing he needed was for her to know him better than he knew himself. It was bad enough that she knew more of his possible future than he himself did.

"No, nor do I want to," Jovina growled softly. "You will tell me when you are ready to do so."

"But you have seen Rylee's past," Thorin said with curiosity, he wanted to know everything about Jovina's abilities.

"To an extent, she only shares what she feels I need to know. I have seen her powers, her training, the rest she has locked up tight," Jovina's expression was grim as she explained. "I cannot delve into her mind as I can with others. Her power drains mine too quickly to get a good read on her."

"That is probably for the best, she does not like to share herself with others," Thorin told her. He was trying to keep his mood from becoming grim. Thinking about the past was always difficult, especially when it came to his decision to sever ties with Rylee. He knew he hurt her when he followed along with the other Valar, allowing only Mahal to parent her. He learned later that the edict was not for him but the damage was already done when their relationship became tense and bitter. She never forgave and she never forgot in the true nature of a Dwarf. These last days and weeks of her calling him Adad again brought bittersweet memories and emotions. It brought hope that reconciliation was possible, and fear that he would lose her all over again.

They fell silent and Thorin watched the company as they waited for Rylee and Kíli to arrive for breakfast. Fíli was flirting with Kalyna and she was flirting back. Gloin was yelling into Oin's ear trumpet about some fiasco they caused down at the Market again the day before. Dori was admonishing Ori for some small thing while Nori was trying to nonchalantly filch a small silver eggcup. Thorin arched a brow as he met the thief's eyes and Nori nearly pouted as he returned the eggcup back to its rightful place. Thorin huffed in wry annoyance, the dwarf was great to have around when you needed information or to get into and out of locked spaces, but his compulsion to take things more often than not got him into trouble. Bofur and Bifur were taking turns throwing items of food across the table into Bombur's open mouth. All of them were boisterous, loud, and cheerful on this morning as they awaited the arrival of the newlyweds.

"Is there some reason why we are throwing food at Bombur?" Rylee asked as she and Kíli entered hand in hand. A cheer went up and everyone all but jumped from their seats to pull the pair onto the terrace. They were pulled into hugs and embraces, congratulations were said once again as they were pulled toward the table.

"Took you long enough!" Bofur called out over everyone.

"Nadad!" Fíli yelled grabbing a hold of Kíli. He swung him around pulling his brother away from Rylee. Kíli grinned and they hit foreheads exuberantly. "I thought I would gain a sister, not lose a brother!"

"It was three short days Fíli, surely you didn't miss me that much!" Kíli laughed at his brother.

"It felt much longer than that," Fíli grinned at Kíli. They usually did everything together, from sparring to fighting to pranking the other members of the company. Not having Kíli there was like losing an arm or a leg. "Dwalin has been torturing us for days on the training field and there is nothing to do here."

"Hey! I take offense to that!" Kalyna cried out above the others, "I have shared several of my favorite diversions with you and this is the thanks I get?"

"A-Ha! So someone's exaggerating a wee bit I see," Rylee teased from where she was being hugged by Jovina and Elihara. The moment she was released she was pulled into the arms of Bofur, Bifur, and Bombur.

"So what is this I hear about you climbing Elf-Maids?" Bofur teased her making the company laugh. Rylee blushed deeply and smirked as she met Galadriel's eyes, the Lady of Lothlórien laughed heartily at Rylee. Looking between the two he continued unabashed, "One of your oldest and dearest friends no less?"

Thorin looked at Rylee in surprise, this was a tale he had not heard of. "You did not climb on Lady Galadriel."

"Like a tree, she did Thorin, and then she realized she was too afraid to climb down!" Elihara laughed as Rylee shook head and waved her hands trying to stop the tales of her drunken exploits. She was completely ignored as Kalyna went into detail about the adventure and how Rylee threatened to give Jovina a pair of wet willies.

"Oh bother!" Rylee said rolling her eyes with a huff, "I am never going to live this down!"

"Exactly how drunk were you Rylee?" Kíli asked in mock horror. She had not breathed a word to him about her Last Night and from the sounds of it she had a great deal to drink.

The company laughed again as Rylee's blush deepened, Elihara elaborated on the nights events, "It took seven bottles of Fire Wine to get her up there and eight bottles before she started missing the posts in a game of Rocks!"

"She came close to winning our impromptu burping contest," Rohinna grinned teasing her friend.

"Don't tell us," Ori laughed heartily, his brown eyes twinkling as he looked up at Galadriel, "Galadriel won."

"Why yes!" Kalyna gasped in surprise, "how did you know?"

"Shall we just say that she made us drink our words?" Dwalin smirked looking at Thorin. Then he looked at Rylee, "It was almost as amusing as hearing Rylee on Devil Weed. How many different voices did you have that night?"

Rylee groaned at the thought and shook her finger at Dwalin, "Do not remind me, I don't think my voice has ever made noises like that in my entire life, drunk or not!"

"You should have heard her slurring her words as she tried to climb her stairs," Jovina chuckled softly as she joined in the teasing. Rylee was bright red with embarrassment as they continued.

"Try being the key word," Galadriel teased softly, "I do not recall her doing much climbing."

Jovina grinned and her black eyes glinted in the sun as she continued, "Right you are Galadriel, Rylee more like fell up them."

Rylee hid her face as Dori pulled her into a hug rubbing her back, as he teased her, "Would that be more or less amusing as Rylee being chased by Fíli and Kíli around the fire and tripping over a small rock?"

"Or jumping back up like Bob the frog as she goes," Ori teased mimicking her movements.

Nori smirked at her and elbowed her in the ribs, "My favorite was when she showed us how a simple draw from a pipe turned into a five minute fire breathing exposition."

"What is this, the Roast Rylee Reunion?" Rylee started to laugh shaking her head. She could do little else. Everything they were talking about were moments of amusement and mirth during their journey, and she could not fault them for bringing them up.

Her stomach started to make noises of hunger and Fíli who was nearby started to laugh, "I am not falling for that trick again! Get my nadith some food, before that monster breaks free from her belly and devours us all!"

"Food! What a splendid idea," Bombur grinned as Rylee and Kíli were led to the table and seated. Their plates were quickly piled high with food and conversation picked up quickly.

"Ori showed us your picture as a Bog Beast Rylee," Lerain said quietly from beside her and Rylee looked at the elleth with wide eyes.

"Bog Beast?" Rylee looked around the table and watched as several of the dwarves unsuccessfully hid their sniggers behind mouthfuls of food.

"Don't you remember Rylee?" Fíli teased her. His blue eyes were twinkling with mirth as he reminded her, "After the slough incident when you came up behind us and hiccupped. Kíli gave you that name."

"Well there were others but yes Rylee, you are most definitely now the Bog Beast," Galadriel teased with a wry grin.

"What were the others?" Rylee asked with a small laugh.

"Well I liked Fern Fairy, Nori called you Lily-pad Lady, Dwalin preferred Bob Carrier, and Thorin's Frog Ferry were all contenders," Ori admitted from farther down the table. Rylee snorted loudly with laughter at the odd names, which made the rest of the company laugh along with her. Rylee started to laugh even harder at them laughing at her until she leaned on Kíli as she held her stomach from laughing so hard. Finally she calmed and looked around the table of happy faces.

"Frog Fairy? Really, Adad? So is that like the Muck Monster or the Mud Maiden of Menegroth?" Rylee returned making Thorin cough as he tried not to laugh out loud at the Lady of Lothlórien. Rylee met Thorin's eyes and she could see the twinkle in them as he remembered the tale they told him about Galadriel in the mud hole. "Or the Dirt Demon of Doriath? How about Mud-pie Magoo?"

"What are those names from Rylee?" Bofur asked in confusion. They didn't come up with any of them and Rylee was obviously teasing Lady Galadriel, but why?

"Oh!" Jovina gasped looking at Rylee with wide eyes then over at Galadriel and Rohinna with a growing grin, "Don't you remember Rohinna? There were rumors running rampant around Menegroth for months about Lady Galadriel and an unfortunate incident in a mud hole."

"You did not really fall into a mud hollow!" Balin said with his eyes wide with surprise.

"I most certainly did," Galadriel chuckled softly as she met first Thorin's eyes and then Rylee's.

"I remember the tale," Rohinna looked from Rylee to Galadriel and the impish grins on both of their faces, "She was so covered in mud that her maids could not tell who she was! When she promised them that it was her they tried not to laugh and Lady Galadriel told them they could go ahead but they refused."

"They managed to hold it in until they were outside," Galadriel said with a distant smile as she thought back, "and then I could hear peals of laughter from down the hallway."

"How many washes did it take to get the mud out of your hair Galadriel?" Rylee teased her friend knowing that telling this tale would not bother her in the least. "At least three? By the time she was done getting scrubbed clean, the tub was so dingy it took her maids hours to clean it. They laughed the entire time they cleaned it, they just could not believe the amount of mud that coated her. The other maids offered to help but they refused. Galadriel offered to pay them double for all the trouble she caused them, but they both told her that they received payment enough in the hours of laughter she gave them."

"Celeborn, Thingol, and Melian teased me for months afterwards," Galadriel told the enraptured dwarves at the table, "which would set off gales of laughter from any of the maids nearby who heard them."

Lerain was chuckling softly at the banter between Rylee and Galadriel. After having heard one tale of mischief she wanted to hear Rylee's tale of the Bog Beast, "I would love to hear the whole story of the Bog Beast from you Rylee."

"Oh well, sure, I suppose," Rylee said as she quickly chewed a bite of food, "This might be disgusting, and you will have to forgive me, I am famished and need food, so I will talk around my bites."

She told the whole tale, including her initial conversation with Mikhaul, which Kíli thought was hilarious, considering that most of it was about her feelings for him. When she got to the part where Mikhaul tossed her, Rylee included sound effects and described the actual consistency of the slough making everyone laugh at her actual predicament. The company joined in sharing their views on what they saw and heard until everyone was holding their sides as they laughed. Every detail of the slough incident she shared, right up to how long it actually took to clean the slime off of her clothes. "It really was a horrible feeling, but Ori's picture, and Fíli and Kíli's faces were just priceless."

Lerain was in tears because she was laughing so hard, this was the best she felt in days, and all because Rylee could laugh at herself. Even while the others were teasing her earlier the petit dwarrowdam just took it and ended up laughing at herself. Lady Galadriel astounded her as well, she was such a strong and fierce Elf Maiden, to be able to laugh off her own troubles as she did was a very admirable trait.

"So what is the worst thing you have ever been covered in Rylee?" Ori asked her as the company calmed down.

"That would be inappropriate for the breakfast table," Rylee said looking at Jovina with a shared grin.

"Oh, now you have to tell us," Bofur cajoled her insistently.

"Aye, how bad could it possibly be?" Fíli asked as he nudged his brother.

"You have no idea," Kíli warned with a grin. There were calls from around the table demanding to be told while Rylee shook her head.

Finally Thorin's baritone rumbled, "Go ahead Rylee, tell them."

"Well, fine, but I did warn you. Rohinna would remember this one," Rylee looked thoughtful as she remembered returning from battle. "After being on the war front for over a week with no time to bathe, or even wipe my face, I was covered in an assortment of horrible matter. I fought three werewolves, two small ice dragons, a Balrog, one large troll, and several hundred Orcs. Oh and a Stone Dragon. I was covered in the blood of all, Balrog piss, Troll shit, Werewolf saliva, Stone Dragon slime, and the residue from the ice dragon breath. I used fire during each battle but even that couldn't remove the worst of it. I had to bathe three times using Yavanna's special soaps and oils, and I still stank for days after. It was horrible."

"Oh, ugh, yeah that one was pretty horrible," Rohinna nearly gagged as she remembered the scent of Rylee as she returned. The company looked at Rylee with a mixture of shock and disgust as she described her ordeal. "You should have seen her whip; it was caked with charred flesh, the blades would not move anymore, and the links were seized in several places. Even her axes and dagger were coated with filth. That was likely the worst I had ever seen Rylee, after her bath, she slept for nearly two whole days before Nialiwen forced her to get out of bed for a formal dinner she was supposed to attend."

"You do realize that there are some of us who are still eating?" Ori said softly as he looked at Rylee in mild disgust, a Sweet green bean hanging between his limp fingers.

"Sorry Ori, but I did warn you," Rylee said in response. Rohinna echoed her with a short laugh.

"So what's the plan for the day?" Kíli asked looking around the table to everyone.

"Well we were thinking that we would do some sparring this morning, but you two took so long getting here that it is now almost lunch," Dwalin growled at them with a small smirk.

"Aye well we would have been here sooner," Kíli grinned at the others, "But Oin's Battle Staff somehow found its way into my long underwear."

"Hmm, yes, and don't forget Dori's Falchion was wedged in between two footrests with Kíli's archers gloves," Rylee smirked back at the bald warrior. "All tied up with these most marvelous knots and bonds. Luckily I know some tricks with knots or we would have been much, much later."

"Aye, Thorin told us of your training with both Oromë and Ossë," Balin grinned at her, "I am certain that both Trappers knots and Sailors knots come in handy in your line of business."

"They actually do," Rylee laughed in agreement.

"That just meant we had to make things more interesting," Bofur said in return.

Fíli looked at Rylee and then at Kíli with a confused look, "So where are our weapons? You didn't bring them back."

"Well of course not!" Rylee deadpanned looking at him seriously, "The Elves who brought the cart to the house said our gifts were wrapped within!"

"Our weapons are not your gifts," Fíli said tossing a grape at her. Rylee caught it and tossed it right back, catching him on the nose. The company laughed.

"If you're going to throw grapes Rylee," Bombur said from the far side of the table, "Throw them in my direction, I will at least catch them."

Rylee chuckled, grabbed three grapes and tossed them all at Bombur who caught all three in his mouth. Realization struck her and she laughed, "Ah! So that's why you were throwing food at Bombur!"

"Rylee," Thorin said with a shake of his head. Rylee met his eyes and grinned impishly and tossed two more at Bombur, who caught them as well, smiling happily. Thorin reached out and lightly smacked Rylee's hand as it snaked toward the bowl of grapes. She pulled her hand back and looked at him in mock horror, as he admonished her, "Really Rylee, such a child"

"Who me?" Rylee grinned impishly and shrugged, "Never!"

"And what, pray tell, has become of our furniture?" Bofur asked them thinking about the soft pillow he went without the night before. He had actually missed it.

"Oh you wanted us to return that too?" Kíli said looking serious, meeting Rylee's eyes. She smirked and took a bite of sausage, pretending not to pay any attention to the conversation. "I am afraid if you want that back, you will have to come retrieve it yourselves. The Elves took the cart away as soon as it was unloaded."

"Aye, we couldn't make them stay until we were finished untying all those knots and freeing Kíli's clothes." Rylee shrugged. She knew full well that she could have asked them to wait and they would have done it. She just refused to be so rude as to make them wait on them for the entire morning. "They were to report to Glorfindel for their next orders. I did not think it wise to make them late."

"So are we to assume that you are inviting us to the House of Mahal this evening Rylee?" Thorin asked a small smile playing about his lips.

Rylee looked thoughtful for a long moment, "Well, I suppose that would make sense, considering that you have no furniture in your courtyard. You will either have to return to using your bedrolls for the duration of your stay or come and retrieve your furniture."

"And our weapons, I suppose you are holding them hostage as well?" Dwalin growled at her. Rylee looked at him in surprise. His aggravated tone belied the small smirk that tilted his mouth.

Kíli laughed and answered for her, "Ah, Mister Dwalin! Aye, you may have to search for them though, we seemed to have misplaced them while we were trying to find room for all of that furniture."

"What do you mean you misplaced them?" Dori cried out thinking of his beloved Falchion and his Bolas.

Fíli looked at Kíli's cheeky grin and then at Rylee, who was avoiding looking at any of the company, and focusing intently on her food. "Please tell me you didn't hide them?"

"And if we did?" Rylee asked quietly. She stole a glance across the table at Fíli, "Do you really care that much Fíli? You were complaining that Dwalin was working you too hard, now you have an excuse not to train, at least until tonight."

"If anything has happened to my knives, you will have hell to pay," Fíli said as he rose from the table. Rylee rose from her seat as well and backed away from Fíli as he stalked her around the table.

"Hmm, several knives, throwing axes, and a pair of well made swords," Rylee taunted him as she backed away, her own weapons glinting brightly in the sun. "I like your weapons Fíli, I might just keep them, especially if you can't find them."

"Here I thought having a little sister would be fun." Fíli said launching himself at her, trying to tackle her.

Rylee gracefully spun away at the last moment, making Fíli stumble forward. She jumped on Fíli's back, wrapping her arms around his neck and hooking her legs around his, making him stumble to the ground. Within moments she had him pinned, his arm trapped in an arm bar. She grinned at him from where she sat on him, his arm twisted behind him, "Careful what you wish for Fíli, I have never had a brother before!"

"Nadith!" Fíli cried as he tried to wrench himself from her grip. He forgot how strong she was, that she could out wrestle him on a bad day much less a day when she was well rested and looking for trouble. "You have to teach me that move!"

"I what?" Rylee blinked at him pretending to be surprised, then she looked at him with a coy grin, "Why Nadad, where ever are your manners?"

"Rylee let him up and come finish your breakfast," Kíli chuckled as he watched his brother try to struggle under Rylee's expert grip. "I haven't been putting all that effort into cooking for you to waste your energy on wrestling with my brother."

"No, you're right Kíli," Bofur teased cheekily, his eyebrows bouncing, "You prefer her to wrestle only with you."

"Kíli is right Rylee, you need more meat on your bones," Dori said in appraisal, looking her over. He was tutting to Oin about her wasting away in that forge.

"Leave it to me," Bombur said with a nod, taking it upon himself to ensure that Rylee was healthy. "I will find some good wholesome food to help her regain her strength. How well stocked is your pantry Rylee?"

"Don't ask me, we all know I cannot cook," Rylee returned quickly then she looked at Rohinna and Kíli, "The pair of you could answer Bombur, you know more about what food is in that house than I do."

"Rylee does not need to regain her strength," Fíli huffed from where he was still pinned under the girl in question. "Honestly. Dori, I swear she could match you in strength."

"Let him up Rylee," Thorin ordered from his seat at the table beside Jovina.

"Aye, the pair of you need your strength," Jovina said as her eyes narrowed on them, "Fíli will be helping you train."

"Hey!" Kíli started to protest, "What about-"

"You will be helping Rylee recover her strength," Jovina cut in sharply, her black glare cutting towards Kíli. He was silenced just by her look. "The next weeks and months are going to be hard for Rylee. She will have to train daily, when she is weak, you will be her strength."

"So Lerain, I hear that you are doing well in training," Rylee said softly changing the subject away from her magic. "Have you chosen your weapon?"

"Wh-what do you mean?" Lerain hesitated as she looked over at Rylee. She was terrified by the choice, having held every Elven forged weapon available, she had yet to make up her mind.

"You have used a variety of weapons over the past few days, but you don't seem to have chosen any particular one. Perhaps you would prefer a Dwarvish weapon or one made by Men? You have masters of every discipline at your disposal for a week." Rylee told her listing off all of the weapons of the company. Seeing the elleth's interest spark when she talked of axes, she pulled one of her axes and handed it down the table to Lerain. Her hard focus was on the elleth as she tested the weight and grip of the weapon. "This is a light single handed battle axe, you will never hold one lighter than this unless it is a throwing axe. Would this be a weapon for you?"

"No, I don't think so Rylee. I thought I would want a weapon like yours but this is like all the others I have tried. It just doesn't feel right," Lerain said with a small frown. She was obviously admiring the stunning silver and red mithril weapon in her hands, but she seemed uncomfortable holding it. "Sercë. This axe's name is Blood?"

"You read Quenya," Rylee nodded, looking at the axe in Lerain's hands.

"Why is it you never offer the other axe Rylee?" Dwalin asked her holding out his hand for her other axe. Rylee hesitated for a long moment before handing him the other axe. He looked at it for a long moment, reading the runes in Khuzdul before running the pad of his thumb over the Elvish runes. He realized that the name of the weapons was inscribed over and over again in swirling patterns on the blade and handle. He turned back to her in confusion, "Sorrow? That is an odd name for a weapon."

"Is it? I don't like to kill, Dwalin. With every death I draw blood. In the end I feel sorrow. Blood always comes before Sorrow, so I named them Sercë and Nyérë in Quenya, in Khuzdul they are Damâm and Ankhâsh," Rylee explained softly as she took the second axe back from Dwalin, stowing it in its place on her back.

"But you kill dragons," Ori said in confusion. Several of the Dwarves wore the same look, as did Lerain and Rohinna. "They are monsters, beasts. There is nothing to feel sorrow for."

"They were not always so, Ori. You must remember that Eru is the only one who can give life. All that lives was allowed life through Eru. Morgoth was only able to create his monsters by perverting that which was already created," Rylee said with a sad smile. Remembering the lesson that Yavanna once taught her long ago. "Dragons were once great lizards that dwelled in the deserts of the south. Morgoth defiled, perverted and warped them as he bred them and inbred them until he deemed them perfect. Morgoth gave the specimens to a mated pair of Maiar, thus Glaurung and Gostir were created."

"Who's Gostir?" Ori whispered to Dori. He didn't remember the name from Rylee's journal.

Rylee paused for a long moment, after practically spitting the name Gostir past her frozen lips. It stunned her to hear her name whispered by Ori. It took her a moment to continue, "Werewolves were simple wolves bred for meanness and great size, ruined by Sauron, who forcibly imprisoned Maiar spirits into their warped forms. Wargs are the children of Werewolves and wolves, forcefully bred. Orcs were once Elves, captured, tortured, poisoned in spirit and body, fed the blood of their peers, forced to perform vile acts of depravity on each other. Morgoth and Sauron did anything and everything to mar the souls of Ilúvatar's children."

There was a hush over the table and Rylee could feel the eyes of her audience upon her. She felt a shiver run over her body, her heart pounded in her chest as she forced herself to finish. On another breath she whispered, "Every one of the Fell Beasts was once something pure and light. That was, until Morgoth and Sauron got to them. They captured these once wonderful creatures and changed them. They were tormented, twisted, and tortured into something awful. It may no longer be the case, they are simple descendants of the original desecrations of Morgoth, but I mourn the loss of what once was."

"How do you know this, Rylee?" Lerain asked quietly, watching Rylee carefully. There was something in Rylee's expression. Something that went beyond simple knowledge, her eyes took on a haunted look, and her pink cheeks paled as she spoke. "How do you know how Morgoth created the beasts? How do you know what they once were?"

Rylee went perfectly still for a long moment, lowering her eyes to the table. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Finally Rylee whispered, "I have seen it. I have seen how they-"

She looked at Kíli and shook her head, her eyes wide, filled with an array of emotions. The entire table was stunned into silence. Not once in the weeks since she arrived did they see Rylee filled with such fear or pain. Fíli met Kíli's eyes and his brother's shoulders drooped. Apparently Kíli knew what Rylee was going through, he just wouldn't tell her secrets. They watched as Rylee closed her eyes, took a few steadying breaths, and changed the subject. She turned her focus back to Lerain and asked, "What have been your favorite weapons so far?"

"Swords and the battle staff," Lerain said honestly. For the first time since her attack she understood why Rylee said that they all endured some sort of trauma. Rylee too went through something and she was having a hard time dealing with her own fears. She went along with Rylee's turn of mood and carried on with her answer. She handed the axe back to Rylee and said, "I was horrible with the swords, I will gladly admit it. Above all, I preferred the battle staff because it is a singular weapon but the ones we have in the training halls are too light for my hand according to Elorin."

"Thorin, were you watching while she was training with the others?" Rylee turned to him after taking her axe back from Lerain. She met his eyes wanting his professional opinion. Her look was one that she would give him when she wanted an honest critique of her performance.

Thorin realized that she was calculating something within her mind. He nodded and met her gaze before answering, "She has a natural talent for most weaponry. While she has excellent arm strength she lacks the coordination for mastering dual swords. She could easily master a double bladed long sword, but the curved Elvish blades she has been using are useless in her hands. Lerain did the best with the Battle Staff, she needs something with weight though, the hardwood staffs they have available are too light for her."

"And you Jovina? Your battle staff, do you still find it too long?" Rylee asked thoughtfully. A small frown furrowed her eyebrows as she looked between Lerain and Jovina, "Do you still find that something is missing?"

"You know very well that has been my overall complaint about that staff," Jovina said sardonically, a pale brow arched over her ebony eye. "You just want me to admit that I should have waited for you to make my weapon."

"You are right you should have, but I believe that everything happened as it was meant to," Rylee said with a smirk. She stood and picked up Jovina's staff from the ground. She moved away from the table and held it in a warrior hold taking her fighting stance.

"Rylee, this is neither the time nor place-," Thorin started to admonish her.

Rylee arched a brow in return but said nothing. Instead she did several sweeping movements with the heavy iron battle staff of Jovina's. Spinning the long staff around her body as she lunged, spinning and leaping into attacking movements, she tested the weapon with a masterful awareness. Finally, she stood still as a stone and looked down at the weapon, as though it held some answer. "Lerain, show me your movements with Jovina's staff."

"After that display, I am not sure I want to," Lerain mumbled under her breath. Rylee shot her a look that brooked no argument, the light in her eye sparking brightly. The elleth rose from the table to take the staff from Rylee and positioned herself into her fighting stance.

Rylee walked around her, "Widen your legs, lower your shoulders. Hands firm and supple, yet they must move like silk over the metal of the staff, don't give it a death grip or your movements will slow. Movement with a staff is fluid, like water, like the river." Lerain stiffened at the mention of the river and Rylee met her gaze before she continued on, "The river did nothing wrong, your anger is useless against the river. Focus on being like the water, the ebb and flow. You were part of it for a fleeting moment and while you were, you were sinuous grace, like silk in the wind. Show me."

Lerain shook off her fear and trepidation, Rylee was right. The river did her no harm, it was evil men who wronged her. She went through several of the movements that Jovina taught her in the days before, she was conscious of the audience watching in silence. Rylee drew her axes and stood before the elleth. Rylee attacked, swift movements that caught Lerain unawares. One hand held too tight to the staff and the other whipped wildly as her grip was too loose. "You will lose your weapon if you do not take better care Lerain. Mind your grip, mind your stance. Both should become second nature. Do it again."

This time Lerain attacked Rylee, but the lesson lasted only a few seconds longer than the first. It was obvious who the master was and who was the novice. Lerain was disarmed within moments and Rylee told her to pick the staff back up. Three more times they did this and Lerain started to become angry. "What's the point? You are so much better than I am."

"Aye, I am," Rylee growled in honesty, if one didn't know her they might think her pretentious and overconfident. Her eyes were flashing and her voice held a note of power. Rohinna was about to say something when Rylee went on to clarify herself. "One does not train with Tulkas and not become a master. I too was once in your shoes, unable to hold my own, losing my weapon with a glancing blow. Thorin can tell you, he witnessed me fall many times, and not so gracefully. This takes practice and patience Lerain, you must invest yourself in it, immerse yourself in it."

"Rylee is right Lerain. Though she is a natural fighter, and is gifted with Tulkas's strength, it took a great deal of time for her to learn and master every weapon," Thorin told her, meeting her gaze. Lerain was startled by the clear blue eyes that seemed to look right through her. "Some were easier than others, but Rylee is willful and determined. When she practices it is by no half measure, which I am certain you will see before we take our leave."

"She is harder on herself that she will ever be on you," Jovina added quietly and all eyes turned to her. "That staff is more suited to Lerain than it is me."

"Really Jovina?" Lerain asked uncertain. She met the petite dwarrowdam's eyes. After wielding the weapon for only a few moments, she found that it suited her really well, it was the perfect length and weight. She may not have been able to beat Rylee, but she knew that it was a weapon she could master. There was only one problem. "You cannot be without a weapon though. You are going on a quest, you cannot leave without something to defend yourself."

Rylee turned to Elorin and met his eyes, he nodded once in her direction. As usual he knew exactly what she was asking without even needing to vocalize her question. It was something they both instinctually knew about people and creating weapons for the fighter. He told her what she needed to know, "In the wardrobe in the Loft."

The Company looked at them with blatant curiosity wondering what they were talking about, but Rylee ignored them. A small smile lifted her lips as she made up her mind, "I believe I know exactly what weapon Jovina needs. In fact I would trust no one else with such a weapon."

Elihara's head snapped towards Rylee and then Elorin. Elihara gasped out, "Aistavandil? You don't mean to give her your-"

"Aye, my dual headed battle staff," Rylee nodded and looked at Jovina. "I made it ages ago, in a moment of inspiration, but it never fit my hand properly and I think now I know why. It has never truly been mine, it belongs to Jovina."

"Dread Staff?" Kalyna gasped in surprise, looking at Rylee. She had heard tales of the battle staff, most of her peers claimed that it was lost along with the warrior who wielded it. She had no idea that her father was holding on to the weapon. "But that is a weapon of legend! It is renowned for its use in the War of Wrath! It has destroyed Balrogs, Trolls, even Dragons!"

The entire table fell silent, all of the Dwarves had heard of the terrible Dread Staff and the damage that it wreaked on the battlefield of Beleriand. There were tales passed down of the mighty Dwarf Warrior who wielded it. They thought that it was lost in the fall of Beleriand.

Elorin looked at Thorin with a grin and said, "She made it during her third quest, I have seen her wield it in battle. Some of the warriors of old called it the Dark Moon of Rúnyatári, for good reason, it is black as a moonless night, with the shimmering blades of mithril. They look like twin crescent moons. Beautiful and dreadfully deadly."

"Aye and I believe she is meant to be yours Jovina," Rylee said with a small smile, "I was inspired to make her when I was training with fire one night, trying to remember the lessons you taught me."

"How many named weapons do you have Rylee?" Fíli asked in surprise. Kíli had told him about her whip being named Dragon's Bane; her Axes were Blood and Sorrow. To hear that she wielded the renowned weapon called Dread Staff was a stunning revelation. "What is the name of your long dagger?"

"Her name is Fëahyando or Soul Cleaver, my whip is Urulókë Yaru it translates to Dragon Blight or Dragon's Bane," Rylee returned looking at Fíli with her brow raised, "I have spent the past seven years of my life in some battle or another Nadad, all of my main weapons are named. Your swords may not yet be, but I have a feeling that before my quest is through you will have named weapons as well, perhaps even the ones that I made you."

Rylee walked around the table and offered her hand to Jovina. Everyone looked at her in surprise and she just grinned and led the smaller Dwarrowdam away from the table and off the terrace. They walked quietly together for several long minutes, making their way towards the Armory. Jovina didn't say a word, she just watched Rylee speculatively. The lass had changed a great deal in the five years since she last saw her. She was wiser, stronger, battle hardened but more vulnerable. She kept it hidden behind a mask of confidence and knowledge, but she was a different girl than she once knew.

They stood in front of the great doors of the armory and Rylee pulled the latch making the heavy doors swing wide. She climbed the stairs to the loft and went to a tall wardrobe near the back of Elihara's workroom. Jovina stood just behind Rylee as she pulled out a tall, wide, and yet thin leather case. She closed the wardrobe and carried the case back down the stairs into the forge area and set it on Elorin's long workbench. Jovina stuck to her heels, following Rylee the entire way. The Company filed in and gathered around Rylee as she untied the binds that held the case closed.

Rylee flipped it open and whispered, "Jovina, this is Aistavandil. I believe I made her for you."

Jovina reached out to the elegant weapon and picked it up. It looked like heavy black iron shot through with veins of green metal, making it look like the metal itself was trying to burst into life. The staff was covered with black leather and green metal string. The grip was comfortable in her hands, as though made for her short arms and small grip. The blades were attached to each end of the staff in the middle of a thick straight edge while the razor sharp blade curved out in a deep half circle, giving the weapon a look of a pair of large half moons attached to a black pole. The blades themselves were mainly black like the staff but then turned bright silver as it reached the cutting edge, threaded through the silver were green vines and glyphs. Of all of Rylee's weapons it was by far the most Elvish in make and pattern.

"You have an affinity with Irmo and with Yavanna," Rylee said watching her friend carefully. "I often wondered why I was driven to make her. It was bittersweet to battle with her because every time I did, I thought of you. It felt, um, belated, since you were already lost to me."

Jovina took her stance holding the weapon in her hands. Unlike the staff she gave to Lerain, this one felt comfortable. It felt like it was a natural extension of her arms. It was neither too heavy nor too light and the weights of the blades on each end were not as cumbersome as she would have thought. She was no Weapon Smith, but the care and attention that went into the making of this weapon was obvious. She could feel the power that flowed in it and she wondered if she would be able to make it sing. When the others spoke of the Dread Staff, Jovina had no idea of the weapon. It was something created after she was pulled out of dragon fire by the Valar.

"By the grace of Mahal!" Thorin breathed as he watched the Dwarrowdam with the weapon. It fit her like a glove, "Black iron and green Mithril, Jovina do you have any idea the worth of the weapon you hold in your hands?"

"By your words I take it that it is a terrifying weapon?" Jovina looked at Thorin and saw the awe and amazement in his eyes. He reached for the staff and ran his hands over the metal.

"This is a gift worthy of a King. The black iron alone can cut a dragon, Rylee has used her own blood to fortify it and she used magic to make the leafing and marbling green," Thorin told Jovina with a smile. "These are the same vines that grace Yavanna's hair."

"It suits you Jovina," Elorin told her from the doorway.

Glorfindel joined him and he nodded in agreement as he recognized the weapon, having seen it in paintings and read about it in the scrolls. He looked at Rylee, his brow rising in question. She tilted her head at Jovina, indicating that the staff indeed belonged to the little Dwarrowdam. He nodded in affirmation, "The Dread Staff is indeed the weapon of a War Maiden. I see Lerain also has a weapon better suited to her hand."

"Aye," Jovina said smiling at Lerain, "It may not have suited me, but Melian did say that the right weapon finds the right master at the right time."

"Melian gave it to you?" Lerain said looking at the long staff that she held in her hands with a renewed awe. Jovina simply nodded and smiled again. "Is it named?"

"No dear, it has yet to find its name," Jovina told her, meeting her gaze, "Rylee, I will start training with you tomorrow. Today I will continue training with Lerain."

"I will help you Jovina," Thorin told her softly, "There are a few tricks that I picked up during Rylee's youth that might help Lerain master her staff more quickly, some that Tulkas used against Rylee. They were quite effective considering his height and extension."

Thorin followed Jovina out the door and into the training field. Lerain lingered for a moment feeling uncertain. Her gut said that Thorin would never harm her, but her fear screamed not to trust any male ever again. She only trusted her father and Daeron. In the past days, her training was only with the females in their group. She was most comfortable with them. Rylee and Rohinna shared a glance and it was Rohinna who stepped forward. She softly advised, "You can trust Thorin, Lerain. He helped train Rylee and from what I gather, his nephews as well. You are safe with him. Trust your instincts. Your fear will only hold you back."

Lerain met Rohinna's dark eyes, seeing the same hurts, the same fears, and the same trauma within them. Whatever happened to Rohinna, it still held her in its grip. The look she was giving Lerain was one of a lifetime of regret. These were lessons that Rohinna was still trying to grasp. Lerain nodded, she would do what Rohinna could not and face her fears. She straightened her shoulders and went after Jovina and Thorin.

"There is still time Rohinna," Rylee whispered taking her friend's hand. She looked up into sad soulful dark eyes. "You have been strong for so long, do you not think it time to release the pain and forgive yourself for the sins of others?"

"That is easier said than done, Mellon min," Rohinna said with a squeeze to Rylee's hand. "Yet for you, I will try."

"Not for me, Rohinna," Rylee responded softly, "do it for yourself. You deserve to be happy too."

They stood hand in hand for a long moment. Rylee reflecting on the day she found Rohinna crying in the hot springs of Menegroth, hiding from the other Elf maids. Terrified of showing her scars. Rohinna remembered how Rylee held her as she cried, not asking a single question, just being there to offer support. She quietly told Rylee everything, from the burning and stealing of the ships to the torture and escape from the vile men. Rylee just held her through it, whispering that she was so strong and admirable. That she was beautiful, that her scars were badges of honor worthy of a warrior. It was the day Rohinna decided to fight, to stay and become a warrior against the evil of the world. She fought in every major battle against the creatures of Morgoth. She would fight in the next one, whenever it came.

The remainder of the company looked around at each other and Kíli grinned at them. "So what are we doing today?"

"We are stealing you away from Rylee and taking you fishing," Fíli told him. Fíli wanted time alone with his brother and knew that even with the rest of the company around, he would be able to talk to Kíli alone. He wanted to know more about what finding a One was like, if this flirtation with Kalyna was just that or if it was something more. The entire company filed out of the Armory leaving Elorin, Rylee, Galadriel, Rohinna, and Elihara behind.

"I, unfortunately have to go back to work and clean the House of Aulë and finish my gardening," Rohinna sighed giving Rylee a hug before heading to the door, "My only condolence is that Rylee and Kíli have been keeping the house clean and the flowers have only been growing, but then so have the weeds. I will see you tonight Rylee."

"Oh, Rohinna?" Rylee stopped her as she was about to leave, "If you find any stray weapons, just leave them as they are. Otherwise those stubborn fools will never find them."

"I understand," Rohinna chuckled softly, "It sounds like tonight will be very entertaining."

"Very entertaining indeed," Elihara chuckled as she gave Rylee a quick hug as well, "Rohinna and I want to take you, Kalyna, and Lerain to the hot springs, but unfortunately it cannot be today. Kalyna has duties up at the Homely House and I am off to the market to set up our booth. I will see you tonight."

Elihara headed to the stairs to her workroom in the loft leaving Rylee and Galadriel alone with Elorin in the Armory. "I will take Rylee off your hands Master Elorin, I am sure we will see you tonight?"

"That you will My Lady Galadriel," Elorin said as he turned towards his forge, stoking the ever burning fires and preparing his materials for work. Galadriel touched Rylee's shoulder and led her outside.

"So Earthen Elleth, where are we going?" Rylee asked cheekily as they walked side by side. Galadriel stalled and looked at Rylee in surprise, she was certain that Rylee forgot the nickname she called her after the mud incident. Then Rylee teased softly, "You thought I forgot."

Galadriel smiled at Rylee and led her way towards the main road, taking her towards the boardwalk. "We are going to the market, my dear Sludge Sylph."

Rylee laughed at the new name, "I rather like that one, Sludge Sylph. It has a nice ring to it."

"As does Earthen Elleth," Galadriel laughed alongside her.

"We make quite a pair do we not?" Rylee shook her head with a small wry snort, "Between the two of us we are always in some sort of trouble."

As they made their way down the cobblestone paths toward the busier part of the village of Rivendell they received more and more surprised and questioning glances. While Galadriel had been seen for days in the company of Lerain, Rohinna, and Jovina in and around the Homely House, the lady of Lothlórien had not been seen by the general population in the company of any of the dwarves. To see the Lady in White with the tiny beardless Dwarrowdam was a surprise for many. The difference in height was surprising, Galadriel was nearly seven feet tall, while Rylee hovered just under five feet. Galadriel's gold and silver locks fell in stunning waves down her back and were in complete contrast to the dark fiery waves of Rylee's braided and beaded hair. They made a stunning pair as they wandered together through the village.

Rylee smirked as she watched and listened to the people that they passed. She looked up at Galadriel, "It seems to me that we get this reaction no matter what city, town, or village we visit together. Everyone is always so surprised to see us walking together."

"Considering that most of these people have only seen paintings of you and heard the tales of you they are in awe of your presence," Galadriel smiled softly. She was thoughtful for a long moment, "They also know that you only show up in times of peril, they wonder why you are here and what it might mean for them."

"I do not think that it is their time to worry, I am here for the Dwarves," Rylee told her softly.

"I know it," Galadriel agreed with a short nod. She changed the subject away from Rylee's quest. They would have time to talk of such things later, on Mid-summers Eve. "So other than your incident in the slough, what else have you been up to in these last few weeks since your arrival?"

"You mean since I landed in Kíli's lap?" Rylee asked softly, Galadriel's brows shot up in amusement. Rylee regaled her with tales of their journey, telling her all about her romance with Kíli and how everything came about. The battle with Esgaud disturbed Galadriel and Rylee knew that it had everything to do with the amount of evil that seemed to be spreading through Middle-Earth. She even went into detail about her strange dream about Sauron and the Dwarves observations regarding its effect on her.

"I promise you Rylee," Galadriel said to her after the telling of the dream, "He cannot see you, he does not know you are here. He would be in great fear if he did. Right now, you are the hidden weapon and you must remain so for as long as possible."

"Thank you Galadriel," Rylee said thoughtfully as she looked up at her friend. "I needed to hear that. Gandalf said much the same but it does not stop me from worrying."

She went into their confrontation with the Orcs and how they seemed to be after the company, which Galadriel agreed was strange given the fact that they were originally stalking Rylee for weeks on end. Finally she told her about their arrival in Rivendell and all that transpired since. She described in detail what she learned of Scatha and the death of Fleet Took. Galadriel sighed in sadness upon hearing of his unfortunate corruption and the horrible guilt that led to his untimely death. Rylee too had to wipe her eyes of moisture as she told Galadriel everything.

By the time she told Galadriel all of what happened since they last saw each other in the First Age, they were in the midst of the market, wandering through the tables covered in the wares of the people. There were items available for both trade and for sale. They perused tables covered in baked goods, others held fine jewelry or tableware. Another table held items made from feathers, from elaborate headdresses to long quill pens, to brightly created folding fans. Rylee picked up an elaborate feathered headdress and carefully placed it on her head and looked up at a grinning Galadriel. It stood tall like a mohawk and many long braided and beaded strands of gold and black feathers covered her hair. She looked like one of the Dark Elves worshiping the great birds of Manwë.

"After six thousand years I finally see you in feathers and I didn't even get to cover you in them," Galadriel joked as she remembered a prank she tried to play on Rylee that went horribly wrong.

"Yes well, if I recall, you said yourself that you were not sure if you ate the bird or were becoming the bird," Rylee teased Galadriel, as she carefully removed the headdress. "How many names did we call you that day? Spring Chicken, Turkey Lurkey, Bird Basket, Stuffed Ducky, and my personal favorite Nesting Nerwen."

Galadriel laughed at that. It happened after their hunting trip when Galadriel realized how much of a clean freak Rylee was. She wanted to see Rylee freak out, but within the safety of Menegroth where she could bathe quickly if needed. Galadriel set everything up like her brothers taught her long before, but somehow she ended up triggering the trap herself, getting covered once again in mud and thousands of fluffy pin feathers. Galadriel's maids and Rylee nearly fell over laughing as they ran in to see what the commotion was about, only to find a feathered Galadriel spitting mud and feathers out of her mouth.

"Don't remind me, I can still taste the mud to this day. It has a gritty texture and a mineral aftertaste. I really don't suggest eating it," Galadriel chuckled as she remembered the adventures they shared in the First Age. "With all the trouble and strife in the world, we had some wonderful times did we not?"

"We certainly did," Rylee laughed softly. "You have always had this persona of near perfection, but for some reason whenever you and I got together you would get into the worst messes. Even Celeborn was surprised at the sheer number of times I had to sneak you in past the sight of others."

"Yes, most only ever knew about the hunting trip, my feather incident, our Ale Drinking contest with Durin and the Burping contest," Galadriel smiled at Rylee as they continued on. She leaned over and whispered softly, "I am rather glad that the other times were kept between us and Celeborn, no one needs to know the number of times I lost my clothes or that I befriended the rats in the Dungeons of Doriath."

"Aye, I think it best that we keep your image pristine," Rylee agreed wholeheartedly. Galadriel was a beacon of hope and light in a world that was threatened by darkness. No one needed to know that Galadriel had a completely other side to her. "Imagine trying to explain to someone how falling into horse dung leads to sneaking around without clothes. Or that you had to escape from the dungeons of Gondolin."

"All due to that thrice damned Maeglin," Galadriel growled softly as she remembered the Dark Elf's treachery against King Turgon of the Noldor.

"Aye that is one Elf who is with Morgoth in the Timeless Void," Rylee agreed. His sick infatuation with his cousin and his long held grudge against Tuor made him an easy target for corruption. He even confessed to her that he offered himself to Morgoth in exchange for his pitiful life and the chance to marry Idril. He nearly got Jovina and Mikhaul killed upon their arrival to Gondolin. Rylee had to show Turgon the extent of her wrath and power before he would allow them to stay. Maeglin's betrayal of Turgon and the city of Gondolin earned him an eternity of torment in the Timeless Void along side of Morgoth.

Moving through the market they purveyed many beautiful items available. Herbs, flowers, fresh fruits and vegetables, there were even fresh fish. There were knives, swords, scabbards and holsters, upon seeing these Rylee looked up into the smiling eyes of Elihara as she manned her and Elorin's trade table.

As they moved along Rylee spied a table filled with shoes and fine Elven boots. Rylee had a pair once but they were burned away during a battle with a dragon. She moved along and found another table filled with soft silk scarves and beautiful cloaks. She touched one cloak that was made of deep royal blue wool, lined with soft silver silk and embroidered in stunning iridescent white thread. Beside it hung a long shimmering white silk lined with deeply piled bleached and fluffed wool, it was trimmed in the softest of satin and embroidered in threads of silver and gold. Rylee sighed softly wishing that she could enjoy such fabrics, unfortunately her tendency to turn into fire made it all but impossible.

"Would you like to try one on or are you just going to fondle it and dirty it?" The vendor asked gruffly. He continued, muttering quietly under his breath. "Bloody dwarves, always looking and touching. Never a coin exchanged."

Rylee turned in surprise and looked up at the vendor, wondering why he was being so hostile. He was tall with pale strawberry blonde hair and pale green eyes. He looked familiar but his name did not come to mind. He narrowed his gaze at her hand where it was touching the wool lining. "It is expensive material, the last thing I need is damaged goods."

"I would love to buy it, but unfortunately items made of silk and wool tend to burn when in the presence of a dragon. It would not last even one battle I am afraid, as beautiful as it is," Rylee arched her brow at him and gave him a small smile. His eyes widened in recognition and he became suddenly paler than was normal for an Elf.

"My Lady! I am so sorry, Rúnyatári, I meant no offence," The man stuttered over himself as he tried to make up for his snap judgment. His eyes flickered over her black beads and the mithril crown that graced her brow. "I feel a fool Rúnyatári, I should have recognized you from Ages ago."

"Oh?" Rylee asked narrowing her gaze on the Elf, trying to place him. "You were one of Gil-galad's lieutenants. He had your unit accompany me into the plains against one of the smaller Urulókë. You are friends with Rohinna."

"Yes My Lady," the Elf stood proudly. His eyes flashed with sorrow at the mention of Rohinna and Rylee wondered why. In a moment it was gone and only the proud smile remained. "I am Cerbethel, at your service Rúnyatári. You have changed your braids since I last saw you."

"I have recently married, and I am on my fifth quest now." She replied with a small smile.

"Congratulations are in order then," Cerbethel smiled back at her. "I really am terribly sorry for my behavior. There were a few of your Dwarven Company here a few days ago harassing several of the merchants. It seems your friends are quite adept at dwindling a merchant down to pennies for their goods."

"Master Gloin is a master at keeping coins and books. He is our treasurer for our journey, and he is quite adept at his task," Rylee grinned at him.

"I would say so," Cerbethel chuckled, "He wore down one of our merchants so badly that the vendor closed shop early."

"Oh my! That is not a good thing is it?" Rylee laughed softly, she looked back at the robes and sighed. "If you ever find a way to make this material fire proof, I will buy a dozen, until then I am afraid that I have to leave them behind."

"I will find a way, just for you my queen," Cerbethel bowed before her and turned to an Elf Maiden who was looking at a pale Rose scarf sitting on the tabletop.

"I must thank you Master Cerbethel, for the good tidings, the apology and your honesty." Rylee said before she carried on to the next table and found an assortment of trinkets from across Middle-Earth.

She found a vendor selling Tobacco from various areas of Middle-Earth and an assortment of Elven and Dwarvish pipes. This vendor was also a little stiff when she arrived at the table but it was not long before she had him helping her with a smile. She picked several different varieties of tobacco and had the vendor blend them together. He was happily surprised at the end result and she told him that it was a blend that the original Durin would often share with Thingol during visits to Menegroth. That was before Durin travelled to Belegost with his wife.

She could see the vendor's misgivings about this and she assured him that Durin was enraged by the actions of the Nogrod Dwarves and mourned Thingol's death deeply as they were very close friends. She told him that she intended it as a gift for Thorin's Company, since the majority of them were descendants of Durin's line. Bilbo and Gandalf would also appreciate such a fine blend of pipe weed. Pacified, the vendor gladly helped her separate the tobacco into fifteen separate bags that would ensure their freshness and Rylee had to negotiate upwards, arguing that just his assistance alone was worth what he was trying to charge her and she refused to under pay.

At another table she bought Bilbo a couple of handkerchiefs, partially to tease him for his lack but mostly because she wanted to give him something to remember her by when their journey was done. She had a feeling that the vendors were dropping their prices for her because they were very nearly giving her the items for the small amount she paid. She just hoped that they were at least covering their costs.

Galadriel was across the way perusing a table filled with beautiful shell hair combs. She was talking to the vendor about her granddaughter and her love of the color green and how well it went with her dark hair. She made her purchase and was about to move off when everything went sideways.

Rylee watched in horror as the hem of Galadriel's skirt caught on the rough edge of the table. Without noticing, Galadriel moved away from the table and Rylee heard a horrendous ripping noise. Galadriel went stock-still and Rylee turned and rushed back to the table of Cerbethel. She tossed her coin purse onto the top of the table and grabbed the nearest cloak. Dashing through the crowd she made her way to Galadriel's side.

Cerbethel's voice carried over the crowded market, "My Lady wait!"

Rylee deftly threw the cloak over Galadriel's shoulders to keep the market patrons from seeing their Lady's backside in her undergarments. She stepped on the now dragging portion of Galadriel's dress and used her other foot to rip the snagged portion of the dress from the table. The entire table jolted under the pressure and Rylee looked up at the surprised vendor as her supplies spilled to the ground. Finally free, Galadriel moved away, disappearing like mist upon the water, she was gone with the light of day. No one saw her as she faded into the crowd. Rylee looked around at the crowded market place, all eyes were suddenly on her and the jarred table.

"Oh Mahal help me, I am such a klutz. My apologies my lady, let me help clean it up," Rylee said as she turned bright red. She started apologizing loudly to the lady with the shell combs, trying to draw attention to herself instead of Galadriel. No one seemed to even be aware that Galadriel was suddenly missing and Rylee wanted to keep it that way. Once Rylee was certain Galadriel was gone, she turned back to Cerbethel.

"My Lady you paid way too much for that cloak," Cerbethel called coming after Rylee, holding up her purse. He looked between Rylee and the vendor she had bumped, his confusion mounting. He was certain that he saw Rylee take the white cloak and toss the coin purse. But Rylee did not have the cloak and there was no sign of it in the market. She had several gold pieces within the purse and the cloak she took would only cost a single coin. "This is your purse is it not?"

"How much is way too much for such a fine cloak Master Cerbethel?" Rylee asked holding her hand out for the purse. She had to keep from laughing out loud. Rylee was trying to keep from giving the game away, as once again Galadriel was able to save face in front of her people during an unfortunate incident.

"Fifteen gold coins is too much for a cloak worth only one My Queen," Cerbethel admonished her and handed back her purse, "I have taken my price, the rest is yours. I will not have it said that I cheated Rúnyatári from her fortune."

"Then you are the most fair of the merchants I have met Master Cerbethel, for I feel like I am paying far too little for the items that I have bought today," Rylee countered softly as she took the purse from his hand. She turned back to the vendor with the shell combs, "I am truly sorry for bumping the table My Lady, I will gladly help you clean up your wares."

"There is no need My Lady," the vendor said looking a little miffed but more flustered than anything else. Cerbethel stood behind Rylee gesturing about the crown and silently mouthing her title. Rylee could hear him whispering behind her to treat her as any other and she tried everything not to laugh.

"If you are certain?" Rylee asked her holding her purse, "I can pay for any damages, really I do not mind, it was entirely my fault that your combs fell to the ground."

"Truly Rúnyatári, it is no trouble," The vendor said shaking her head adamantly.

Rylee spied at least four broken combs still sitting on the ground. Rylee took out a gold coin and pressed it into the vendor's hands. She looked her in the eye and told her, "I insist, I will not allow my title to expend me anything that I have not bought or earned through due compensation. I ruined four of your combs. Your last customer paid a bronze coin for one, it is only fair that I pay you one gold piece for what I have damaged."

"Yes My Lady," the vendor said sheepishly as she realized that Rylee was beginning to make a scene of her own by refusing to take a free pass due to the accident. Most of the market was watching with great interest as Rylee refused to just walk away.

"Very good then," Rylee said with a smile. She gave the lady a half bow and turned back to Cerbethel and confided, "I don't think she heard your warning Master Cerbethel, though I do appreciate that you tried."

He laughed loudly at that and said with a smirk, "I apparently forgot how well you can hear in my old age Rúnyatári. Nothing could ever get by you."

"This shall be our secret then," Rylee laughed with him, "Have a wonderful afternoon Master Cerbethel."

"And you Rúnyatári," Cerbethel said as he returned to his table. Rylee looked around to ensure that the patrons at the market had gone back to their business. She made a show of perusing through the market on her way through the crowd and back up along the path. Once out of sight she quickened her pace and began her search for her friend. It wasn't long before Galadriel materialized from an alley along the way back up to the Homely House.

"That was close," Galadriel said with a low chuckle.

"You always did find a way to get yourself into trouble," Rylee teased her as she tried unsuccessfully not to laugh. Galadriel pulled her off to the side of the cobblestone street and they gave in to their mirth.

"Thanks for saving me from that yet again. You're a good friend," Galadriel said as they slowly calmed down.

Rylee's brow rose as she looked up at the Lady of Lothlórien. "Why do I have the feeling that this won't be the last time I cover your arse Galadriel?"

"Simply because you are usually behind me when it happens," Galadriel jested with a happy smile. Rylee simply rolled her eyes, it was oddly true.

Galadriel chuckled softly and Rylee arched a brow at her as she asked, "These things only happen to you when I am around Galadriel, why do you think that is?"

"Oh, because you bring out the best in me," Galadriel replied smiling at Rylee. At that moment a gust of wind picked up swirling around them and the heavy cloak was pulled up and away. Galadriel froze for a moment before she scrambled to grasp the folds but it was too late. Rylee got a full view of her friend's rear end. She burst into laughter as she caught the tails of the cloak wrapping them around Galadriel. It looked like she was giving Galadriel a hug from behind. Galadriel started laughing again, brushing away the sense of foreboding and said, "See? Always behind me."

"Aye, you are lucky I've got your back," Rylee agreed as she tried to stop laughing.

"I really didn't think it would happen that soon," Galadriel snorted, then covered her mouth in surprise as her laughter turned to another ungainly snort. She pulled the cloak tight around her as the wind continued to flow around them. She refused to allow the strange phenomenon disrupt her time with Rylee, it was rare to have such a moment.

"I noticed you still have a penchant for blue Mellon nin," Rylee said with a grin. She let Galadriel go once the cloak was under control, holding her own sides as they continued to laugh, "How many times have I covered your arse?"

"That depends, literally or figuratively?" Galadriel wheezed through her laughter and Rylee took deep breaths trying to calm down.

"Let's stick with literally, figuratively is too high to count," Rylee choked out chortling merrily.

"Come to the main house, I need to change my dress and send this one for repair," Galadriel said, clutching the cloak closed around her. She looked around and up at the sky with a small frown but said not a word. Instead she led the way back towards the Homely House, moving swiftly between houses, taking alleys so that they could move unseen.

"This isn't the first time you have taken the alleys through Rivendell, Galadriel," Rylee observed that Galadriel knew these alleys extremely well. She seemed to know the quickest routes as they continued along the path, hurrying towards the Homely House so that Galadriel could change her clothes.

"Honestly Rylee, this only happens to me when you are around." Galadriel said, her tone was teasing and filled with mirth.

"Please, that cannot be true," Rylee scoffed arching a brow at her friend. She could hear the fib in Galadriel's voice. "You mean to tell me that in six thousand years nothing like this has happened."

Galadriel put on her most serene, poised, and elegant façade and looked at Rylee and said imperiously, "No, nothing ever happens unless you are around Mellon nin."

Rylee crossed her arms over her chest and huffed at Galadriel, deciding to call her bluff. She pretended to be innately insulted, and replied, "If you keep pretending that you are boring and dowdy, I will tell Celeborn how we first met. Won't he like to know about that?"

Galadriel smirked and looked at Rylee. She knew full well that withholding her tales would drive Rylee crazy, wanting to hear something that happened since they last saw each other. She continued with her false grace and said smugly, "You will not tell Celeborn. How could you possibly do so? Besides maybe I am just boring and dowdy when you are not around. You know as well as I do that I only allow you and my family to see this side of me."

"Oh, you are such a fibber. If I find you lying I will tell Celeborn. I am sure he would love hearing about how I first saw the color of your pantalets Galadriel. White with pretty blue ribbons, if I recall? Do you still have them I wonder?" Rylee teased her friend. The moment she had free time she was going to try her new power and contact Celeborn. She would tell him everything about how she and Galadriel first met.

They made it to Galadriel's room and Rylee waited outside as Galadriel changed her dress. When she came out she was dressed in another long silvery white gown that clung to her body and she was clasping her new cloak over her shoulders. "This is a really beautiful cloak."

"It suits you perfectly," Rylee watched the thick cloak settle around her friend's shoulders. Somehow, Galadriel had a way of making the whitest clothes look even more brilliant, and somehow she never, unless under extreme circumstances, got dirty. Rylee wondered how she did it.

"Let me pay you back for it," Galadriel said reaching for her coin purse.

"Don't you dare, I have never had the chance to buy or even make you a gift, you have never asked me for anything," Rylee shook her head in denial. Galadriel was one of those people who put such little value on material things, and often gave of herself when there were times of great trouble and suffering. She even went so far as to shave her head once to help the army camps make clothes and blankets. The fact that her hair was softer than silk and its magical properties allowed for hundreds of blankets and tunics to be made from it was a happy surprise for the weavers. She only ever had to sacrifice her hair the one time, and even had the gall to look stunning with no hair. It was even more astounding when it grew back overnight shocking everyone. "You give of yourself more often than you take. I often feel that I ask for more from you than you should give."

"I never ask for anything because you always seem to be the one to get me out of situations like the one earlier," Galadriel scoffed, frowning at Rylee. She did not understand why Rylee had this need to devalue her side of their friendship. "Actually I have something for you. When Elrond told me you were here it was the first thing I grabbed when I was packing."

Rylee watched Galadriel curiously, as she moved around the room. It was a large wide room with a huge bed in the center surrounded by long sheer white curtains, there were a pair of matching wardrobes and a vanity that had only a silver comb, hair brush, and a bottle of lavender water. Galadriel was rummaging around in one of the wardrobes as Rylee stepped out onto the wide balcony. She stayed by the wall, not wanting to be anywhere near the railing or the edge.

Galadriel handed her a small box. Rylee approached Galadriel and accepted the gift, and upon opening it she found a coil of metal and stone lying within. She lifted it carefully from the box, it was long with a handle and a clasp but it was as thin as a cord from tip to tail. It was a thin battle whip, made of mithril and black and white diamonds, Rylee started creating the weapon weeks before the end of her third life. So thin and fine that she could wear it hidden on her body, just in case she was attacked when she was most vulnerable. "You finished it!"

Galadriel stepped forward and took the coil from her hands. "I found it amongst your belongings in Gil-galad's pavilion, when I saw you atop Ancalagon, I knew that your time with us was done, so I took it. I didn't know if or when you would return but I finished it in the years following, when I had time. I have imbued protective enchantments into it, no one will see it unless you wish for it to be seen, and it will never break."

The Lady of Lothlórien took the whip from the box, wrapped it lightly around Rylee's wrist, and clicked it closed. Rylee pulled her loose sleeve over top and the gems were just barely visible. They smiled at each other, it was the first time they ever exchanged gifts with each other. "Thank you Galadriel, you did not have to finish it. The fact that you took the time to do so, it means the world to me."

"Just as you did not have to buy me a cloak today, and yet you did," Galadriel said with a soft smile.

"I am actually glad I bought it, it looks stunning on you, as if it was meant to happen. It is so finely made, if it were fire proof I would have gotten one for myself," Rylee smiled as she turned down the long hallway. She led the way back outside towards the House of Aulë where the company would be gathering for dinner and Kíli's game of seek and find. "I really liked the royal blue."


	31. One of the Guys

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, any of Tolkien's works or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either. I own only my OC's and that which I have created.**

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**This chapter took forever to write, I apologize for that. I hope that you will think it worth the wait. For those who have already started to read. I changed it and decided to split the chapter into two since 18000 words is a little excessive. Please let me know what you think. Love you all so much!**

Chapter 31

June 15 Afternoon

One of they Guys

Kíli caught three fish while they were out, all the while Fíli tried to get him to talk about what he and Rylee did during their three days together alone in the house. As much as Fíli teased, pleaded, and pressured, Kíli kept saying that he refused to kiss and tell. He said only that he would never desire another woman as long as he lived.

"So she did nothing that bothered you? Insist on rose colored candles, or pour perfume on you so you smell like someone else? " Fíli asked skeptically. He refused to believe that Kíli was that fully satisfied with Rylee. Kíli always complained about something his lovers did, some quirk that drove him up the wall, whether it was sloppy kisses, too much teeth, or some fetish that Kíli was opposed to. "She didn't insist on bathing every time or anything?"

"I will bathe daily for the rest of my life, if I can bathe with her," Kíli chuckled meeting his horrified gaze, "I have never had so much fun in a bathtub."

"I am shocked Nadad, you actually enjoyed a bath," Fíli laughed throwing a worm at his brother's head. Kíli ducked just in time for it to go sailing over his head and into the river. Fíli thought about some of Kíli's other conquests, "Better than two females at once?"

"As much as that seems like every dwarf's dream, it really isn't all that fun or special if you are the male," Kíli shook his head and quirked his brow at his brother. Fíli looked at Kíli in surprise, while his brother never was one to kiss and tell, he always made it seem like taking two women was an extremely gratifying experience. "Think about it, we as males find the female body fascinating, aye? Well so do women. It becomes more woman on woman action than anything. I was there for one purpose only and only when it pleased them. Not that I didn't enjoy it, I did, it just doesn't compare to being with my One. Rylee is everything that the others were not and then some."

"So, how did you know? It was obvious to me from the beginning, but how did you figure it out?" Fíli asked, finally giving in to his curiosity. He strung another worm on his hook and cast the line into the river, waiting for Kíli to answer. "Was it really like the stories?"

Fíli could feel his brother's eyes on him for a long moment, making him look up to see the small smirk playing about Kíli's lips. Finally Kíli responded, "Just like in the stories mother used to tell us Fíli. Even when things seem to go horribly wrong, the moment she draws near, it all falls back into place."

Fíli snickered and elbowed his brother, "That was rather poetic Kíli."

"Nah, it is one of the few things I remember Adad telling us," Kíli said somberly as he mentioned one of the last conversations they had with their father before he was killed, "Don't you remember? Before he left he told us to keep mother safe, that she was the torch in a dark tunnel, the gem that hid in dark spaces waiting to be found, more precious than Mithril. For me, that is Rylee."

Fíli fell silent for several moments while Kíli looked at him assessing and watchful. He knew that his brother would have questions, he just didn't think they would be so forthright when they came. Kíli's query surprised him, "So Nadad, is Kalyna your One? Does your heart beat faster when she is around? Do you dream of holding her in your arms, kissing her, making love to her? When we leave here will you pine for her?"

"No she is little more than a dear friend, someone to spar with while you and Rylee were away," Fíli said as he thought about this for a moment. Nothing Kíli described was accurate when applied to Kalyna. Sure, she was very pretty, smart, and had a good sense of humor, if a little on the serious side. She flirted back when he made advances, but it was like the others in Ered Luin, nothing really special. He wasn't drawn to her and couldn't see her in his life past a few weeks. Fíli knew his suspicions were right. As beautiful as Kalyna was, she was not for him. "Besides she is obviously interested in Glorfindel. She tried to brush it off and hide it while we were sparring yesterday, but there was something there. I can't tell if he returns her feelings though."

"You got to spar with them?"Kíli's brows rose in mild surprise. Fíli waited for the usual darkening of his eyes as the unwanted jealousy would consume his younger brother, but it never came. It seemed that spending time with Rylee was rubbing off on Kíli in the most positive ways, he definitely seemed to be much more confident than usual. "Learn anything new?"

"Oh, a couple of things, maybe I will try them out on you tomorrow," Fíli said with a grin. Sparring with the Elves the day before was a rare challenge, he learned a great deal from both of them. The thousands of years of battle experience combined between them left him feeling somewhat overwhelmed. It was like sparring with Rylee, a rare treat. Fíli looked forward to training with Rylee and Jovina in the coming weeks and months. He wondered what he would learn from the War Maiden of the Valar that Thorin hadn't already taught him.

Fíli was lost in thought when the fishing pole was taken from his hands and he was suddenly picked up and tossed unceremoniously into the river. Fíli sputtered as he surfaced, momentarily remembering being swept away during the journey on the Great East Road. Seeing Kíli come up beside him seconds later stirred the uncomfortable feeling away. The momentary fear that flashed across Kíli's face made Fíli realize that his brother clearly remembered nearly drowning. It was written all over his face, but as he got his feet underneath him, the fear was gone and a huge grin followed as he splashed Fíli in the face before wading to the shore to haul Dori into the water. Gloin followed seconds later; he came up sputtering and spitting, his braids and clasps drooping from the soaking he received.

Kíli laughed until Nori and Ori jumped on him dunking him once again in the water. Fíli used a splash-back technique and started spraying everyone still standing on the shore, getting Dwalin square in the face. The warrior's enraged growl was enough to get Fíli back under water and swimming away with Dwalin jumping in after him. Soon all of the dwarves were in the river splashing each other and throwing each other around.

The fishing rods were all sitting on the edge of the river, but only Fíli's still had hook and worm in the water. The string tugged and the pole moved, it was pulled from its place along the rocky shoreline and into the water. As it swept by Balin made a grab for it, but Gloin caught it and cried out when the string went taut. Gloin started to pull it in, and Fíli looked up to see him pull up the largest and longest fish caught all day.

"That still counts as Mine!" Fíli called to him as the others laughed, elbowing him and slapping him on the shoulder. Fíli slowly made his way back to the shore to dry off.

Gloin stopped and looked at Fíli, then the fish, and back at Fíli with a grin. He called back, "Don't matter lad, it counts only as dinner!"

"Yeah, My dinner!" Fíli laughed before he was pulled back into the middle of the river by Bofur and Bifur. They left him out there and for a moment Fíli wondered what was going on until something wrapped around his legs pulling him back under and rolling him in the water.

When he resurfaced moments later he turned and jumped on top of Kíli who was grinning from ear to ear. They tried dunking each other several more times before they found themselves on the shore wrestling among the rocks with the others cheering them on. Fíli almost had Kíli twice before suddenly Fíli was on his belly with his arm in a lock behind his back. He growled in annoyance, "Not fair Nadad, Rylee has obviously been teaching you some tricks."

"Not the same kind of wrestling Fíli," Kíli laughed as he released his brother, "I saw how she did that this morning, pretty simple trick, really."

"Show me," Fíli demanded as he rose from the ground.

"Heck no, it isn't often that I know a trick that you don't. I am keeping this one to myself," Kíli laughed as he pulled off his tunic to wring it out. Then he took off his boots to pour the water out of them, setting them aside to dry.

"Why did I miss you again?" Fíli asked with a shake of his head. He followed suit and pulled his tunic off and squeezed the water out. Then he thought of an idea to pay back his little brother. Fíli walked a little ways away, keeping his eye on Kíli but trying to be nonchalant at the same time as he spun his tunic into a tight whip. He spun and flicked it out, using a motion he once saw Rylee do with her whip and the tail end of his tunic hit Kíli in he left butt cheek. There was a resounding "snap" and Kíli yelped and jumped forward, away from his brother's attack.

"Why you-!" Kíli hollered as he twisted around to see Fíli recoiling his tunic. There was a maniacal look in his brother's eyes and Kíli realized that he was now in the midst of a battle. He quickly followed suit twining up his tunic to snap it at Fíli. He missed while Fíli flicked again, catching his brother in the chest. Kíli yelped in pained surprise and chased after Fíli.

He didn't get far, Gloin stuck out his foot and Kíli went sprawling in the dirt. The company laughed as Kíli came up covered from face to chest in fine white dust from the path, spitting out the powdery dirt as he rose. He turned to trudge back to the river to clean up and stepped right into the pail of bait. A soft, moist, crunching goop filled the spaces around his toes. A splurching noise met their ears, and Kíli looked down to see red worms wiggling around his feet.

Fíli fell to the ground laughing so hard at the expression on Kíli's face. He was purely disgusted. There was no other way to describe it and there was no better way he could have gotten back at his little brother. Kíli tried to kick off the bucket, making the bait go flying, worms scattered at everyone's feet and the dwarves scrambled away from the flying debris. The bucket didn't budge and Fíli only laughed harder as everyone hollered at Kíli for the mess and for wasting the bait. Kíli only kicked his foot harder to make the bait go flying again. Kíli grinned as a chunk of smushed worm hit Ori in the temple and the other dwarf sputtered and yelled obscenities that would nearly put Rylee to shame.

Dori's mouth dropped open upon hearing the filth and he started hollering at Ori about finding a bar of soap to wash his mouth out. Ori simply got up in a moment of defiance to wash his face, while Nori berated Dori about being too hard on the lad. Finally, Kíli kicked one last time and the bucket flew into the air and he stumbled back to the edge of the river to wash off his foot. Little did he realize, Bombur caught the bucket, handed it off to Bofur who gave it to Bifur who quickly and quietly moved into position to plop the dirty bucket on Kíli's head.

The look on Kíli's face was priceless. There was a moment of silence while Kíli stood stock still. Not a single move did he make as the ground up worm meal fell over his ears and onto his shoulders and sodden tunic. Then, as Kíli pulled the bucket off his head the mixture of horror and disgust was apparent on his face. Several other emotions flickered over his animated features, from frustration to rage, confusion to embarrassment. Before he could settle on one single emotion he was picked up by Balin and Dwalin and thrown bodily back into the middle of the river. Fíli could barely breathe from laughing at his brother.

When Kíli came sputtering back to the surface, the entire company was laughing at him. Kíli simply shook his head in amusement. Fíli figured that his brother must have realized that they were all making up for lost time. The last time they did this type of thing was in Ered Luin after one of the Winter Festivals. Otherwise it was small pranks or stories around the fire. It didn't help that all the traditional festivities before a wedding were missed due to Kíli's desire to be married immediately.

Fíli was just starting to calm down as his brother slowly made his way to shore. Suddenly, Kíli stopped. His eyes went completely large. Fíli could see every bit of whites around the dark brown irises. If his face had been filled with horror before, it was even more so now. There was a sudden yelp of surprise that immediately had several of the dwarves doubled back over with laughter. Then Kíli was dancing around in the water shaking his leg.

"What in the world is the matter now?" Fíli asked as he watched his brother in amusement.

"It's in my trousers! I felt it on my ankle! No! You are not going past my knee!" Kíli was almost doubled over holding his pants at the knee, he was swearing about something smooth and cold. Kíli could not stop the strangled yelp that came from his throat, and upon hearing it, Fíli started laughing all over again. He could not have helped Kíli if he tried. The expressions on his brother's face were too much and Fíli could only laugh heartily. The shock and worry mingled made Kíli's brown eyes widen, his brows shoot high, and his mouth to gape just a bit.

"What's the problem laddy," Gloin called from the side of the river.

"There is a fish or something in my pants," Kíli cried as he hopped around in the water shaking his leg. Whatever it was, it was obviously not small. It was not a couple of little minnows like Rylee found in the swamp, whatever this was it was big and it was on a one way trip. Up.

"The river is not the place to show us your dance," Oin said shaking his head in confusion, holding his ear trumpet in Kíli's direction. "We can't even see your legs."

"No! There is a fish-," Kíli started to say as he wriggled around in the water. The water creature had made it past his hands and was moving up toward his hip. There was a massive bulge trying to make its way up Kíli's pants and Kíli was doing everything in his power to push it back down."Ah! No, no, no! Get out! Get out!"

Fíli was laughing so hard that he was clutching desperately at his sides. Kíli was still flailing wildly in the river and didn't stop until he threw his pants out of the water. It didn't even register to Fíli where they were headed until they hit him square in the face. For a half a second he paused as he took a surprised breath, and pulled the sodden cloth from his head. Then the pants were moving of their own accord and Fíli laughed even harder as Kíli's pants started flopping around by themselves. Kíli waded to the shore in only his underpants, shooting a dark glare at his older brother.

"Well Kíli," Fíli said with a smile. His was still holding in his sides from laughing so hard. "Show us what you caught."

"Fíli, stop laughing," Balin ordered with a smirk, "You will give yourself the hiccups."

As if on cue, "Hiccup!"

Dori chuckled and shook his head at his little brother. He met Balin's glance and said, "I think you warned the wrong lad."

"Hiccup!" It was a slightly higher pitch than his burp in Bag End, but Ori's hiccups lasted the remainder of the afternoon, much to the mirth of the company of dwarves.

* * *

When he first saw Jovina, Thorin thought that she was about the same age as Rylee. Her skin was clear, unlined and youthful in appearance, but as he talked to her, he realized that she was likely closer to his age than Rylee's.

As he helped Jovina train Lerain with her long staff, he felt he was getting to know her better. The women were sparring against each other using their new weapons, getting the feel for them. Since Jovina already mastered the techniques of her long battle staff, it took her no time to adapt to the dual bladed staff, Aistavandil. Lerain was struggling only due to the fact that she was a novice. At first the Elf Maid was stiff and to put it bluntly, terrified of him, but after an hour she seemed to relax. Once she did, he was able to adjust her form when they were breaking between exercises. By the end of their lesson, Thorin was helping her make adjustments to her form without her flinching if he went near her, much less if he readjusted her hands or feet for her. She also got over her fear of making noise while fighting, taking her cues from Jovina.

The elf maid was soft and unused to the vigorous training of a warrior and it wasn't long before she was panting and complaining about her exhaustion. Thorin tried to maintain his patience with the lass, seeing as she was just learning, but he couldn't help but compare her to Rylee, who refused to give up on anything. Finally it was late afternoon when he and Jovina escorted Lerain to her home so she could get ready for their evening at the house of Mahal. Rohinna was still staying at Lerain's house for the time being and they would arrive together later for dinner. Once they bid the Elf Maid farewell at her door, Thorin and Jovina walked back to the Homely House together.

"Do you by chance use a battle whip, Miss Jovina?" Thorin asked as they made their way back up the path and over the bridge. He noticed that several of the moves that Jovina used were similar to those Rylee utilized when she fought with her whip. He wondered if maybe Rylee learned to use the whip from Jovina. It was not a weapon they trained with during her childhood on Aman.

"No, but I did own an ox who pulled my cart. I used a leather whip to send him signals," Jovina smiled softly as she walked beside Thorin. He was glad that they were now comfortable enough with each other to speak freely. "A werewolf ate my ox, Rylee killed the werewolf and I taught her the basics of how to use her whip."

"Is that how you met Rylee?" Thorin asked his curiosity was unleashed. He wanted to know more about Rylee's first years in Middle-Earth but he also wanted to know more about this newest addition to his company. He had fully accepted the fact that she would be joining them. Jovina was here at the behest of Ilúvatar, if she didn't travel with them, Rylee would die trying to use her powers. He would never allow that to happen, she was his goddaughter he would do anything to protect her, including taking Jovina with them. He wasn't keen on the idea of having another female with them but as he watched her he realized that she was a formidable opponent. He now knew for certain that she would be able to handle herself on the road. It had nothing to do with the fact that he admired her.

"Yes and no. The werewolf killed my Ox a few days before I met her. She and Olorin arrived on my doorstep and asked to use my stable for the night and after a short argument with the Maia I gave in and allowed them the use of the empty building. They were only there for the one night and when I woke the next morning they were gone." Jovina informed him. She started walking with him towards the forge. "I went into the nearest village of men and bought a new ox for my cart and led him home. A fortnight later the werewolf came back and was after my new ox. Rylee rode in on this great warhorse and she proceeded to attack the werewolf. She did try using the whip and it did do the trick, but she had no finesse and her attacks were quite sloppy. She fought hard, finally pulling her axes and hacked and slashed at it until it was little more than minced meat. She is deadly with those axes, skilled as any male dwarf I ever met."

"That sounds like Rylee, she is a vicious little fighter," Thorin said with a proud smirk. He knew she was nothing less than a perfectionist since both he and Tulkas had engrained into her the importance of constant practice and training. Thus her frustration with the bow, the fact that she still had yet to master it was something that drove Rylee to frustration. Thorin knew this because it was the only thing she ever really complained about.

"Aye, you trained her very well," Jovina smiled as she looked through him with those black as tar eyes. "When the werewolf was dead, I asked her where her Maia friend was and she told me that he had returned to Aman. She turned to leave and when I asked her where she was staying, she said, 'I am not staying, I am on a quest to Call forth the Beast. I am to kill a dragon, I just don't know which one.' I told her that she needed to stay, I looked into her eyes and we got caught. I could see so much in Rylee, her soul is this great bright entity, so many possibilities and her power is, well, it is truly incomparable to anything I have ever seen. The only problem was that when I tried to withdraw from her mind, I was trapped, and she had so little control over her power that she was crushing my spirit with her own."

"Like she nearly did the other day," Thorin nodded in understanding. They entered into the large garden where Rylee and Kíli were married and stalled in the center, neither making any moves to continue on.

"Aye, only this time we were trapped much longer, to the point that I was bleeding from both nose and eyes and Rylee was rigid as a stone statue. It was sheer luck that Galadriel was hunting in the area. If she had not shown up when she did, splitting us apart, I would be long dead. It took me several days to recover and Rylee stayed with me for the duration. She felt so guilty for what she did, apologizing so many times that finally I screamed at her that if she said sorry one more time I would wrap her whip around her neck and hang her with it," Jovina chuckled at the memory. "She asked me then what I knew of whips, having found my long ox whip hanging by the door. When I told her that I knew enough, she asked me to teach her. After being trapped within her powers, one would think that I would fear the girl, but the joy that was in her heart, the light that is within her - I could not imagine letting her out of my life. Her purity and depth were so alluring that I told her not only would I teach her how to use the whip, I would help her find a way to use her magic. She insisted on living in my stable with my new ox, but I would not hear of it. A couple months later we were moved into the realm of Doriath, beyond the reach of Werewolves, Wargs, Orcs, and evil men."

"But what of her quest?" Thorin asked trying to keep the conversation going. Jovina seemed to be ready to leave and he wasn't sure he wanted her to go.

"What of it? She came and went as she needed. I spent a great deal of time in the Elven library in Menegroth, trying to learn as much as I could about the magic I saw in her soul. I taught her everything I could about the whip and from that she just seemed to know and understand the weapon well enough to learn everything else." Jovina said as she leaned against one of the tall arbors looking up at him.

Thorin could not help but allow his eyes to roam over her small form, she was perfect in even the highest Dwarrow standards. Strong of build, her shoulders and hips were wide and well curved. Her waist was narrow and strong. Her limbs were obviously well muscled. He felt her dark gaze on him as he appraised her and felt the heat rise under his collar. For the hundredth time he wondered at his need to wear his light armor in Rivendell, it was not as though he were in any real danger. When he met her eyes, and found her smirking up at him, he couldn't help but feel as though he was caught in some trap. He cleared his throat and gestured for her to continue on. She chuckled softly and did so saying, "She met many people, Men, Elves, and Dwarves. It wasn't until after she met Durin that there were suddenly males of all races coming to court her. Durin was the only one she entertained and he was the only one who never took offence when she told him that he was not her One and she would settle for nothing less."

"According to Gandalf, Durin asked her countless times," Thorin said in slight confusion, "Why would she entertain him and not the others?"

"Because Durin respected her wishes and he only kept asking because he knew it bothered her. He was a cheeky clot-head who liked to tease her relentlessly. He was the one she fought alongside most often in battle and he was helping her to search for news about dragon activity in the area. They were great friends," Jovina told Thorin with a smile. "As for the completion of her quest, I was there for most of her nightmares, the ones that help her to see the path. Within a few short months she was trying to learn what she could about this 'Father of Dragons' and her path led her Turin Turambar. Once she met him, that was the last I saw of Rylee until she arrived nearly ten years later at the Mines of Belegost for another quest."

Thorin watched as Jovina let her eyes wander his large warrior frame. He knew he was tall for a dwarf, the tallest in the company, just inching out Dwalin. His thick muscular calves and legs were encased in black boots and black breaches that led to a broad V-shaped torso. Wide in the shoulders and arms, tapered at the hips. He allowed little room for the typical dwarven belly, the fit of his clothes were tailored to fit over the heavy muscle and sinew. According to many of the ladies of the colony in Ered Luin, he was the epitome of male Dwarven Warrior. All Thorin cared was that he was strong enough to wield axe or sword, that he could fight his enemies and protect his people, without having to worry about his girth.

Finally Jovina looked up, and he met her gaze. He expected her to avert her eyes like all of the other ladies he met in his life but she was not afraid to meet his eyes. She was not some young maid, afraid to let him know that she was looking at him. No, from the smirk on her face, she was openly admiring him. He wondered what she saw, and then he wondered why it mattered before brushing the unwanted thought away. Jovina smiled slyly at him and turned to walk away. He could not help but reach for her and she stopped the moment she felt his hand on her shoulder, "Don't go."

"Why should I not?" Jovina said softly without turning.

"I want to know you," Thorin said, his voice was low, husky. He swallowed suddenly, realizing how that must have sounded. He tried again with a clearer tone, "I mean, you will be traveling with us, would it not be best for the leader of the company to know his latest companion. I want to know more about you."

"And I you, but now is not a good time," Jovina smiled and looked over her shoulder at him. "Elorin is waiting for you in the forge and I have work of my own. There are a few hours yet before we are to meet the others at the House of Mahal."

"After then," He said quietly, it was not a request, but it was not an order either. "Let me escort you to the House of Mahal."

"Sunset?" Jovina asked quietly, he smirked in response. She smiled in return and sauntered away. Thorin shook his head and turned to the Forge and the work that waited for him within.

* * *

She would let him make his excuses, this time, she thought as she remembered his hand on her shoulder. It was as hot as a fire brand where he touched her and her heart skipped a beat at the memory of it. There was no way she was going to let him know this though. It was best for both of them if he didn't know at all.

He with his midnight hair, streaked with strands of bright silver, framing a proud yet thoughtful face. It was worn long and mostly loose though he had the status braids of a king that hung in front of each ear and a pair of metal clips that held his hair in place behind his ears as well. He had a heavy brow that was too often furrowed in deep thought, a long straight nose and fine thin lips. When he scowled or smirked he looked like a deadly predator. He wore his beard shorn, it was a full beard, but trimmed to keep a steady length. The only Dwarven males who ever shaved or trimmed their beards were archers or men who made an oath of some sort. He was a very, very handsome Dwarf and he knew it, if his easy smirk was any indication.

She was too broken and world weary to give in to this line of thought and she mentally brushed it away. The last thing she needed was an infatuation with the company leader. There was already too much at stake on this quest and her oddly juvenile emotions should not be involved in it. No, she would deny this attraction for as long as she held breath in her body.

She made her way quickly to the library. There were several scrolls written in Quenya script that spoke of Rúnyatári and the suppositions that the Elven council of the First Age made about Rylee. They were much more observant than they led Rylee to believe. Gandalf told her that there was little to no information available about her or her powers. He was wrong, there was a large section in the history scroll that she discovered the night before that would help them, the problem was that it was all based on supposition and theory. No one ever witnessed Rylee's full power, they couldn't have since it was yet untapped.

Gandalf was already in the massive chamber, perusing scrolls of his own. She gathered the scrolls that she needed and joined him at a massive table.

"Do you read Quenya, Gandalf?" Jovina asked as she spread the massive scroll on the table and found the long section on Rúnyatári.

"Of course, Jovina," Gandalf said looking up from the tome that he was flipping through impatiently. "Why, what have you found?"

"There are a series of first-hand accounts of Rylee using her powers in battle, two at the end of her life when she, Tuor, and Ecthelion went after the Urulókë of Gondolin, and one specifically against a Balrog that attacked a citadel early in her third life." Jovina said as she showed him the section and skimmed over the parchment reading the highlights of what was written, "According to this, Tuor witnessed her use of magic during her second life in the dragon attack, moments after I died. The dragon was going mad and destroying the city, Rylee used her axes and climbed the bloody stump of the dragon's leg and onto its back. She drove her axes into the dragon's neck and looped her whip around both, she then focused her flame onto the whip and axes and into the dragon. He saw her become fire, a bright orange flame, and as the dragon approached the greater gate Rylee's flame focused into the rose pendant on her chest and from it a bright red flame flared out and into the whip and axes. It was at that moment that she was able to force the dragon out of the city, over the high mountain peaks to the west and into the sea. The other account is identical and it was written by Egalmoth, same attack slightly different descriptions of what took place but he witnessed the exact same thing."

"I remember the Balrog attack. It was just days after we entered the main encampment in North Lindon. There was a large citadel where much of the population gathered for safety, one of the only freestanding stone buildings left in the area. Rylee was amongst the people, trying to gather information and to help out wherever she could. The doors were kept locked from the inside for the most part, only a small side door was used for entrance," Gandalf said as he remembered the event.

"Go on," Jovina prodded as Gandalf stalled in deepening thought.

"The Balrogs were out in force, Elrond, Elros, and I were trying to keep them from the main building. Rylee was stationed at the main doors for protection when the beast attacked. I always thought that she used the Balrog's flame to light herself afire, until she turned into a tall pillar of bright red and I heard her chanting something in an unfamiliar tongue." Gandalf said in his usual quiet soothing tone. "The fire of the Balrog seemed to funnel into the stone of Ilúvatar and then it suddenly dissipated, once the beast's flames were doused it was so weakened that she easily cut it to pieces with her whip and dagger. The moment it was dead, she collapsed. By the time we got to Rylee she was completely unresponsive and neither Galadriel's nor my powers could wake her. I had no knowledge of the scope of her power at the time, I still do not and Manwë has seen it wise that it remain that way."

"That is exactly what Galadriel has written here, in her testimonial witness," Jovina said looking up at the Istari, "She went on to say that the stone was stolen from her body while she was in repose. Within weeks she was crowned as Rúnyatári and her courtship to Oropher's son was announced."

"Rylee was livid when she found that braid in her hair and she refused to tell me why she could not remove it. It took me weeks to learn that Oropher was using the stone to blackmail her into marrying Thranduil. I only found out because I overheard Oropher talking with Nialiwen. Gil-galad was pushing Rylee to take the Crown of Red Flame to become Rúnyatári and they wanted part of her title if she accepted it." Gandalf said with no small amount of frustration. "They wanted to control her and they thought that her stone was the key to doing so. Little did they know exactly what kind of spitfire they were dealing with."

"Obviously she did not marry the Elf," Jovina said in amusement as she quirked her brow at the wizard.

"Of course not," Gandalf smile in amusement, "She and Kaia, daughter of Durin and your cousin Eridith, devised many plans to put off the wedding for as long as possible, all of which were successful. Rylee's friends were very helpful when it came to keeping her from marrying someone she did not love."

"Well it explains why they knew about her powers and why they gave her that title," Jovina said as she looked over the rest of the parchment. She found nothing more other than theories on what exactly Rylee's powers consisted of, none of which was correct. "What they didn't know was that the red flame is actually only the beginning of what lies within her."

"What do you mean?" Gandalf asked sharply, his eyes narrowing at her.

Jovina met his gaze and she searched his soul as she spoke, "Wise One, I will tell you this and there will come a point when you will have to make a decision on how to best use the information. Make sure you choose well." She waited for a long moment breaking the connection between them, "If Rylee's heart can regain the purity and love that it once held, she has the potential to wield a fire of such purity that it could kill Ancalagon with one burst. The problem is that she will only ever be able to use this power to its full potential once. After this, it will only come to her in great need and never to the same degree. If she succumbs to darkness, her power could destroy us all and she would become as powerful and evil as Sauron."

"Does she know this?" Gandalf's brow furrowed in worry, if the expression on his face was any indication, his thoughts mirrored her own. If Rylee gave in to the darkness she could join the gathering shadows of the 'Necromancer' and Middle-Earth would have even greater problems than ever. If she should join Sauron, the world would be lost and Dagor Dagorath would be upon them.

"Why do you think she fights so hard to hunt down the darkness that follows her?" Jovina met his gaze, she continued and her voice was filled with both anger and frustration, "I don't know what happened in her last lives. I do know that when I last saw her, her aura was bright but somehow tainted, and was dimming with every day that passed. Now her soul is the darkest I have ever seen it and the only time her aura flares with light is when she is around her One and his family."

"Whatever comes, she must not be separated from Kíli," Gandalf shook his head.

"Aye and we must find and return the Star of Ilúvatar to her before she tries to wield the purity fire. Without it, her own flame might consume her," Jovina rolled up the scroll and returned it to the shelf.

"You believe that she will allay the darkness," Gandalf said. It was a statement of fact, not a question and when he met the seer's eyes he had his answer. Olorin had always been able to read Jovina like an open book. She was determined to see the bright light that lived in Rylee rekindled.

"Aye, but what of Thorin?" Jovina asked. She wanted to know the Maia's thoughts on Rylee's main opponent to the use of her magic. Would he be a help or a hindrance? If Jovina helped Rylee learn to control the flame, would it lift her from the darkness or push her into it?

"What of him?" Gandalf asked, his voice a little sharper than he intended.

"He has darkness in his heart, he could do great damage to Rylee," Jovina warned him.

"He also has great love and compassion," Gandalf frowned down at her. She knew that she was suddenly being very judgmental, but she wanted the wizard's honest opinion. She wanted an opinion of someone who had seen the good and evil in the hearts of many beings, she wanted the opinion of someone who was both close to and objective over Rylee's purpose. "Of all the people in Middle-Earth, Thorin is the one person who she wants to prove herself to. She was raised to see him as a father figure, she grew up calling him Adad. She loves him and she wants his love in return."

"This part I know," Jovina sighed and met the wizard's eyes. "What I want to know is if they are each other's strength or weakness."


	32. Revelry at the House of Aule

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, any of Tolkien's works or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either. I own only my OC's and that which I have created.**

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**So, I posted this chapter as part of the last chapter and thought about it for a day or so and decided to split the day into three parts. Please forgive me if this has caused any frustration or confusion. Please let me know what you think. Love you all so much!**

Chapter 32

June 15 Evening

Revelry at the House of Aulë

"You are more that welcome to stay here Master Baggins." Lord Elrond told him. The words still echoed around in Bilbo's mind and he was more than tempted by the offer. On one hand he could stay here where there was safety and assurance that he would return to his home. It was comfortable and he could enjoy the books, music, and company of the Elves. On the other hand, adventure still awaited him. Dragons and treasures beyond imagination. He had given Thorin Oakenshield his word that he would help him. He had signed a contract. He could not just forget that. Besides, he was making friends among the company now. Rylee, Kíli, Fíli, and Bofur seemed to accept him. Balin too, was beginning to warm up to him. He would feel guilty if he were to go back on his word.

He was deep in thought when he heard someone calling his name, "Bilbo! Bilbo Baggins!"

He turned to see Rylee and Lady Galadriel come out of the private halls where the family chambers were. He figured they must have just come from Lady Galadriel's rooms. Rylee waved enthusiastically and he turned to join them. "Good afternoon, Ladies."

"Good afternoon, indeed, Master Baggins," Rylee rejoined with a grin. "Will you be joining us at the House of Aulë tonight?"

"I have not been invited," Bilbo said quietly. He had heard the Dwarves in passing earlier in the day, but none of them had offered up an invitation. It seemed they were too busy teasing Kíli about some fish that he had caught before they all headed to the hot springs to clean up. The lack of invitation was one of the many reasons that he was feeling a little lost and alone.

"Well you have one now," Lady Galadriel said smiling down at him. "There will be food, wine, and entertainment. You are more than welcome to join us."

"It would be my honor to join you, if it is not a bother," Bilbo accepted politely. Rylee beamed from ear to ear, apparently pleased by his answer.

"Wonderful! We are on our way now, if you would like to escort us?" The light in her gray eyes sparked brightly in the fading afternoon light.

"I will take great pleasure in escorting two such lovely ladies," Bilbo said as he offered his arm for each of them. Rylee took his arm on his right, while Lady Galadriel simply squeezed his shoulder lightly before walking gracefully beside him. He could not help but feel honored to be in their presence.

They walked in silence for a moment before Rylee slowed and started rummaging around in one of the cloth bags that she was carrying on her arm. She pulled out a wrapped parcel and handed it to him. "I got this for you, Master Baggins, as a thank you."

"A thank you for what?" Bilbo asked in confusion. He looked from Rylee to Lady Galadriel, but neither of them gave any hint as to what Rylee spoke of.

Rylee held up her hand and started counting off the things that she felt thankful for, making Bilbo blush just a little at the attention, "For being a dear friend, for playing a game of Rocks with me, for what you did at the troll camp."

Bilbo looked up at her in shock at her mention of the troll camp, certain that she was jesting. Not one of the Dwarves had seen any worth in what he had attempted to do, and while Rylee had praised him at the time, he had not thought much of it since her actions seemed much more worthy of praise. Rylee looked completely serious however, and she insisted that he take the package. He did so and carefully untied the string and opened the brown paper. His eyes widened at the sight of the crisp new handkerchiefs. He was certain that she was jesting now, but her eyes were watchful awaiting his reaction. He ran his fingers over the fine cloth and he reveled in the soft smooth texture. Each one was carefully handmade, hand woven and stitched with care. They were both sturdy and soft. "Th-thank you!"

"You are welcome!" Rylee said softly as she looked at the small squares of cloth. Her eyes were suddenly sad, "Believe me. I owe them, if not to you then most definitely to Fleet. The sheer number of handkerchiefs he lent to me over the years, Bilbo, I lost count long ago."

She fell silent and Bilbo wondered why. He knew she had some great history with his Elven ancestor, he just didn't know what. From the looks of it he was not going to get an answer tonight, even if he did ask the questions that were burning inside him. He decided that he would not press for information. "I very much appreciate the gift, Rylee, since I left all of mine at home.

He smiled up at her and her mood changed in a blink. Gone was the sorrow and in its place a twinkle gleamed in her eyes as she bantered back. She said in a soft teasing voice, "I know, I heard all about it."

"I don't think they will ever let me live it down," Bilbo sighed shaking his head, a small quirk to his lips.

"Just as I will forever be a bog beast?" Rylee laughed softly. Bilbo merely nodded and laughed with her.

"Perhaps not," Lady Galadriel said softly looking down at both of them with a kind smile. "But that teasing and Rylee's gift will bring you joy later when all that is left of this journey is memory."

Bilbo was stunned into silence for a long moment before he looked up at Lady Galadriel and said, "I do suppose you are right."

"Of course she is," Rylee said softly. Her voice was inflected with admiration. Bilbo realized then that though they were friends, Rylee and Lady Galadriel held great respect for each other. It also reminded Bilbo that though both were born in the years before the First Age, Rylee was, in all actuality, still very young. "Galadriel is rarely ever wrong. Even as an elleth she was wise."

"You are much too wise for someone your age," Lady Galadriel rejoined. He looked up at her with wondering eyes. How in the world could someone so tall keep an easy pace with a pair of beings who were so much smaller. Her gait and stride should seem rough for it, yet she was still fluid grace despite her height and the difference in stride. "It is time to have some fun Rylee, I believe you were already told by Mikhaul that you need to lighten up a bit."

"Agreed," Bilbo said with a smile. He had the day to reflect. In fact he had the last couple of weeks in this beautiful place to relax and reflect. He was well aware that once they were on the road moments like this would be rare and he wanted to make the most of it. "Tonight we will have fun and be merry."

They made their way quickly through the village and were soon at Rylee's door, just in time to see Rohinna and Lerain unloading supplies from a small cart. There were enough supplies to feed a small company of dwarves. Thorin and Jovina came out of the house, picked up some of the heavier items and started to haul them into the house. Moments later Galadriel and Rylee joined in the task, Bilbo quickly following suit. They worked together unloading the cart and setting things up. It wasn't long before Bilbo and Thorin were seated at the table with a tankard of ale in front of each of them. Where they found ale in a house of Elves, Bilbo would never know, but somehow, here it was.

Rylee panicked when Rohinna hauled her into the kitchen to help her make biscuits. She complained that everything Kíli taught her flew from her head as she tried rather unsuccessfully to sift and measure out the flour. It was everywhere, much to Lerain and Galadriel's delight. Rylee was splotched with the dusty flour, to the point that her fiery dark hair looked abnormally gray.

It was then that Bombur arrived laughing merrily at the sight of Rylee as he hauled in several freshly caught fish. He teased her quietly, "You should go bathe, Rylee, before the others get here. You look like a powder cake."

Just as Rylee skirted around Bombur, her hair brushed against the lit stove. Like tinder with a flint stone, Rylee's hair became fire. Her eyes went wide and she tried to use her powers to stop the flame, but the flour was burning and the kitchen stunk with it. The fire was about ready to go beyond her control.

"No! Not again!" Rylee shrieked and ran from the room. Her light feet barely made a sound on the stairs as she fled.

From the kitchen, Bilbo and the others could hear the splash of Rylee diving into the tub and the sizzle and fizzle of flame as she hit the water. Lerain, Galadriel, and Jovina burst out laughing. Rohinna chuckled softly and set about quietly cleaning the flour from the countertops and floor. Thorin smirked and shook his head before returning to his seat at the table. Thorin had a rather reflective look on his face as he looked at the now empty staircase. "Reminds me of the days of her youth. Nienna had an interesting time with Rylee in the kitchen."

Bombur looked oddly thoughtful for a moment before turning to the group, "Though I understand her fear of burning down the kitchen, I don't know what the fuss is about. She would do an amazing job at searing steaks. I might have a go at teaching her to cook. Natural talent, she wouldn't even need a stove."

They looked at him in wonder, he had a merry twinkle in his eyes and he chuckled quietly to himself before opening the pantry to seek spices that would go well with the fish. Jovina wandered around the kitchen to start pouring wine for everyone. Using a step stool, she pulled out every glass, every mug, and every goblet that she could find and set them on the counter. Climbing down she landed awkwardly on her foot and stumbled right into Bombur's wide girth. She was about to topple to the floor when he grabbed her hands and righted her. Bilbo could see the moment that she opened her mouth to speak, she looked into the heavy cooks eyes and her power gripped his mind.

It was interesting for Bilbo to see Jovina's power at work on someone else. He could see Bombur as he went through the same sensations that Bilbo himself had. The queer sensation of something tickling his mind while he looked into the absorbing dark gaze of the Dwarrowdam wasn't altogether unpleasant, just an odd brushing sensation that built towards a lightness in his mind. Bombur looked both disconcerted and confused but that would only last a moment.

"Such a sweet soul, you worry that you're not brave enough to protect the king you have sworn yourself to. You want to keep your brother and cousin safe, yet you feel you lack the ability." Jovina's voice was soft and tender as she picked through what she saw in the Company Cook's eyes. Bilbo noticed that she too looked rather confused for a moment and a little panicked as her powers took form. "You care deeply for the Dwarves under your care and feel that Rylee's weight loss is your doing. Even though you were jesting, a small part of you sincerely wants to try to teach Rylee to cook."

Bombur was falling into the deep, dark wells of ink that were Jovina's eyes. He was still standing, but relaxed, his entire body was tilted towards her slight form. Her voice was oddly soothing almost hypnotic as she picked through his mind. Bilbo remembered the sensation, thinking that it felt as though she was trying to pinpoint something within him, some intricate part of him that made him what he was. Bombur would see nothing but the fathomless blackness and feel an odd sense of peace, until she began to pull away. Then the world would start to lighten back up and he would sense himself again. It was happening before Bilbo's eyes. He could see the moment that Bombur felt the odd tugging sensation as Jovina pulled back and his eyes returned to focus. He narrowed his eyes at her, but before he could say a word she was speaking quickly and fearfully.

"I am so sorry, Master Bombur! So terribly sorry!" Jovina apologized as she pulled away. She blinked up at him with fear written in every movement of her sturdy Dwarrow body. Bilbo wondered why she seemed to be so put out by her powers. Surely she was used to using them by now? She hadn't had a problem the other night when she showed him her gift.

"What was that?" Bombur asked. His voice rang with the sound of fear. It sounded much like it had the night at the Troll Camp, or when they were being chased by the Orcs. Jovina's tension was making all of them tense, even Bilbo could feel it pulling at his gut. He didn't like the sensation. Bombur continued, "What? How? What was that? Thorin said you were a Seer, but what did you do to my head?"

"I am a seer, a soul searcher if you will," Jovina whispered hoarsely. She rubbed at her forehead like she had the other night, the head ache she said would come with using her power. "I usually have much better control. I don't like to touch a mind without permission. That is twice in one day, I just don't understand."

"What is it Jovina?" Thorin asked in confusion as he watched them.

"This morning and now, it just happened," Jovina whispered. She moved shakily to one of the chairs and sat down. She put her hands on the table and lowered her head on top of them.

"So what else did you see?" Bombur asked quietly. His gaze softened as he looked upon the troubled Dwarrowdam. Bilbo could see that while he seemed a little put out at her intrusion, he was still curious. "I cannot imagine it would be much."

"You depreciate yourself Master Bombur, You are a chef, first class. You take pride in your work, and enjoy feeding others. I suggest you ask Rylee for a copy of her cookbook if you really want to please her," Jovina advised the heavy dwarf, raising her head to look at him. Bombur's eyes widened at the idea of a cookbook and then narrowed in confusion as he met Bilbo's eyes. They were both astounded at Rylee being the owner of a cook book and Jovina chuckled softly before carrying on. "Though you fear not being able to protect your brother, your cousin, or your king, you are fiercely protective and quite the talented fighter. You are an effective warrior and use your stature to your advantage. You should slow down on the eating though, Master Dwarf, or you will pass away much before your time, regardless of your bravery and courage in battle."

"You have a cook book Rylee?" Bombur asked looking over Bilbo's head. Bilbo turned in surprise as he met Rylee's eyes. Rylee nodded and blushed lightly. She was standing only a couple steps away from the bottom of the stairs. Turning, she silently retreated back upstairs into her chambers. Bilbo wondered if perhaps Bombur's question insulted her, especially when she didn't return right away.

The remainder of the company arrived, accompanied by Elihara, Elorin, and Kalyna. Kíli looked around the room and saw everyone assembled. Bilbo knew he was looking for Rylee. He was about to tell Kíli where she was when he spied her coming down the stairs once more. Dressed in clean clothes, her hair was wrapped in a towel, obviously fresh from her bath. She held a comb in one hand and a small journal in the other. Kíli caught her in his arms and pulled her into his embrace, before she even reached the bottom step. He kissed her hungrily in greeting, and Bilbo looked away with a slight blush. Apparently being away from each other for even a few short hours caused the young Dwarrow to miss his new wife.

The couple was completely absorbed in each other. The book and comb seemed forgotten in Rylee's hands and Kíli seemed to have forgotten that the remainder of the world existed. Bilbo felt as though he were intruding on the pair even though he had been invited into Rylee's home. The kiss lasted much longer than Bilbo could stand and apparently Thorin felt the same for he cleared his throat and shot Kíli a dark look. Reluctantly, they broke their kiss. When she spied the audience they had, Rylee blushed from the roots of her hair down to her toes. Lerain and Kalyna stood off to one side and giggled with each other like a pair of young elf maids.

Rylee pulled away just long enough to hand Bombur the cook book that Jovina told them about. "I may not be able to cook but when I find a food I love, I insist on getting the recipe so that I can have it duplicated. I want it back when you are done with it. Lucky for you, I wrote it in Westron instead of Quenya. It has all of my favorite recipes from childhood and these past years on my quests. I have been collecting them for years."

Bombur grinned from ear to ear, eagerly opening the book to the first page, his eyes widening in delight. Jovina chuckled and shared a glance with Rylee as they watched the heavy cook. By their exchange Bilbo figured that Bombur would be quite pleased with the recipes in Rylee's cook book. He could only imagine that it was filled with delicacies from the First Age and from Valinor. Bilbo followed after Bombur, his interest in the cookbook was piqued. Luckily Bombur didn't go far so Bilbo was close enough to the rest of the group to keep tabs on their conversations.

"Are the cakes from the wedding in there?" Fíli asked suddenly, his own eyes brightening. Rylee chuckled and nodded as Kíli pulled her into the living room. He sat on the loveseat and pulled Rylee into his lap. Within moments Bilbo could see the young prince combing the snarls from Rylee's hair and fixing her braids. It was a good thing that Ori and the others explained the importance of the act, otherwise Bilbo would not have thought anything of it. In fact he would have thought it strange to see a male Dwarf braiding his wife's hair for her.

"You smell like heaven," Kíli whispered, kissing her earlobe.

Rylee grinned up at him, "You smell like river. How many fish did you catch today, Kíli?"

"Two on purpose," Kíli said with a grin, "and one by chance."

Oin had his ear trumpet on the conversation and grinned as he said, "Chance? No boy, you caught it in your pants!"

"Wow, Kíli," Rylee chuckled softly grinning up at him, "Considering your breaches barely contain you, I cannot fathom fitting a fish in there too."

Kíli grinned at the compliment while Fíli and Bofur laughed at the innuendo. Thorin frowned and glowered at the four of them. Kíli started to tell Rylee the events of the day when Bofur took over and told the entire tale of how Kíli's pants ended up trying to make their way back to the river under the power of a large trout. Bilbo couldn't help but chuckle and the story set off Fíli and Ori, who were clutching their sides in mirth, as gales of laughter poured from them. Kíli shook his head and chuckled, until suddenly, "Hiccup!"

Ori groaned and held his hands over his chest, "Not again! Hiccup!"

Galadriel brought him a large glass of water, but by the time he was done chugging, the hiccups remained. Bofur tried frightening them out of him and Ori just started laughing harder, making the hiccups worse. Gloin had him jumping up and down on one foot counting backwards from fifty, yet still they refused to go away.

"It's too bad I don't have any of that tonic left," Galadriel said softly looking at the poor bookish dwarf.

"Or the tea Yavanna gave me," Rylee agreed from where Kíli was tying off the last of her braids. "That stuff worked like a charm!"

Nori came around with a platter of white wine for everyone handing out goblet after goblet. Galadriel, Fíli, Kíli, and Rylee were among the last but before he could hand them their wine Galadriel plucked a pair of glasses of the platter, handing Rylee one and keeping the other for herself. Nori looked surprised and a little panicked as he offered the last two glasses to Fíli and Kíli. Bilbo knew that look, something was up, and the prank was intended to be on Rylee, now it was on Lady Galadriel if he had to guess.

"So, does anyone have a tale to tell while we wait for dinner to be cooked?" Ori asked hopefully as he sipped at his wine. He looked directly at Rylee as he suggested this and Rylee shook her head.

"No, Ori, none that I can tell right now," Rylee said with a small smile as she sipped her wine. His face fell and Bilbo watched as she made a pained face. The change in her in the past weeks was almost unbelievable. There was a time that he would never have known what she was thinking. Now it was like she was an open book. Suddenly a strange choking noise came from where Lady Galadriel was sitting. All eyes turned to the tall stunning Elf. Her eyes glittered with tears, as cough after sputtering cough left her lips. She looked at Nori, who had the decency to look greatly embarrassed as he watched her warily. Galadriel started laughing, gale upon gale of riotous laughter, that made Rylee burst into laughter of her own. "What in the world happened Mellon nin?"

"It was either allow you to drink the tainted wine," Galadriel whispered hoarsely, as she tried to get past whatever was in her throat. "Or take the fall myself and save you the trouble. Besides, it is rare that I can reciprocate a favor. I thought it was devil weed again, I never suspected it to be vinegar."

"You have never and will never owe me anything Galadriel," Rylee grinned and looked at a flushing Nori, "I never would have thought you had it in you, Nori. That is quite the stunning prank. Well played."

"But it backfired badly," Nori sulked a little looking from Rylee to Galadriel, "I am terribly sorry My Lady."

Galadriel waved it away with another merry chortle and looked about the room. Thorin moved from the kitchen into the living area with the rest of the company, taking a seat on the end of one of the large low settees. Lerain avoided every other Dwarf in the room and chose to sit on the opposite end of the settee from Thorin. Bilbo was quite surprised, Thorin must have found a way to get past the wall that Lerain was trying to create. The fact that it was Thorin who was able to do so spoke volumes for his character. It certainly gave Bilbo more to think about. Once most of the dwarves were seated, Galadriel moved to a large comfortable chair for herself.

Rylee grinned at Galadriel, a bright spark in her deep grey eyes, "I dare you to drink the rest."

"What?" Lerain gasped in shock as she stared between the little fiery dwarrowdam and the tall Elf maiden. Bilbo's thoughts echoed the elleth's. Wasn't that disrespectful? How could Rylee ask such a thing from Lady Galadriel?

Galadriel looked at Rylee for a long moment. Rylee grinned mischievously and said, "Do you remember Galadriel? Our first drinking contest? You got sprayed down with half a keg of ale. I took one look at you and said, 'since you are wearing half you might as well drink the other half, I dare you to have a drinking contest with me.' It's a challenge, you of all people cannot resist a challenge."

Galadriel's eyes took a darker sheen as she met Rylee's gaze and Bilbo shivered. He could not believe that Rylee was openly challenging Galadriel, they were both so powerful and strong. Bilbo tensed waiting and then Galadriel smiled. One that softened her beautiful eyes and the company breathed a collective sigh of relief. "You know me too well Mellon nin, I was never one to turn down a good dare. I'll do it."

Rylee's grin widened and Galadriel prepared to drink the remainder of vinegar in the large goblet. Bilbo had tasted vinegar on many occasion, often dipping his chips in the tart liquid. After her first sip, Galadriel would know how tart it was and Bilbo could see that just the scent brought tears to her eyes. She had accepted the challenge though and with all eyes watching her, Bilbo knew that she aimed to prove she could do it. She took a breath and brought the glass to her lips. Rylee started cheering her on, Kíli followed suit and soon everyone in the room was telling her to down the glass. Ignoring her boisterous audience she started to drink. Tears streamed from the corners of her eyes as the tart acid lightly burned her tongue and taste-buds, Bilbo could only imagine it combined with the astringent scent. Somehow she drained the glass, finally it was done, and she swallowed the last. Bilbo's admiration for the elegant Elf Lady grew by leaps and bounds.

Rylee cheered loudly along with Fíli and Kíli, a grin spread across her face, her cheeks rosy with mirth. Dori was there to offer Galadriel a glass of water and a handkerchief. He took away the empty wine glass, glaring lightly at his brother.

"I have a story or two that you might like," Galadriel offered now that she was partially recovered from her ill fated wine. Her voice sounded smoky and breathless and several of the dwarves nearly choked on their wine. Rylee and Ori started laughing at their response, making Ori hiccup even louder. "You did request a story, yes?"

"Yes, please Lady Galadriel," Ori said excitedly. He looked up at Lady Galadriel and asked, "But first we must know who won the drinking contest."

Galadriel grinned and she shared a glance with Rylee. "That would be Rylee, she may be small, but being what she is, it takes a great deal to get her intoxicated. Don't take my word for it though. I imagine that you would all like to know for yourselves how much it will take."

"When the quest is done, we can have a contest," Rylee smiled graciously. Her gray eyes glittered and she arched a brow at Galadriel. "Now, you said you had a tale to tell."

Bilbo watched the exchange, another challenge passed between them, but this time unspoken. Lady Galadriel merely laughed and nodded. Ori busied himself getting comfortable, his excitement obvious, Bilbo understood it since he felt much the same. He had never heard an elf tale from the lips of a real elf and he wondered if she would tell one of the tales of the First Age or if it would be more personal. The company looked at Galadriel with rather skeptical expressions.

It was then that Bombur joined them, having just put the fish into the oven, using one of the recipes from Rylee's book. Bombur stood just behind Rylee and Kíli, slapping his hands on the white apron that Rohinna made him wear and the spices rose into the air around him. Rylee sneezed, a short, sweet squeak that had the company holding their bellies.

"See? I told you Miss Lerain, just like a small mouse!" Bilbo told her with a grin. Lerain looked from Bilbo to Rylee in complete disbelief. Bilbo had told her true, Rylee sounded like a mouse.

"Dill?" Rylee asked softly, and then sneezed twice more. Galadriel roared with laughter now that the tables were turned she laughed just as heartily at her friend. Everyone else laughed along with her. It was just too comical.

"Aye the recipe called for it, don't you like dill?" Bombur asked in confusion. He had used one of the recipes that Jovina told him was flagged as a favorite in Rylee's cook book. It was even marked as such in the margins.

Rylee waved her hand in front of her face, trying to drive away the spices filling the air around them, sneezing again and again. Her eyes were running from the sneezes and her nose was twitching and tingling annoyingly, making it run as well. She looked up at Bombur and admitted, "I love dill, but I react to it like most people do pepper."

"Here Rylee," Galadriel's dulcet tone called. It was accompanied by the arrival of the snow white handkerchief. It landed in her lap and Galadriel's voice called over the laughter of the others, "Hold it over your nose until it dissipates."

Rylee's eyes went wide as a particularly fierce tickle settled inside her nose. She went still, her eyes watered, and she stared at the lantern for a moment trying to blink away the impending sneeze. Finally, it passed and she breathed out but the moment she took another breath, she started sneezing all over again, and she fumbled with the handkerchief to cover her nose. When she could finally breathe without sneezing she started to laugh, loud and hearty, like chimes in the wind. The tears running down her face were no longer from the dill but from uncontrolled mirth.

Bilbo's eyes met Lerain as they watched the pair in complete shock. The Lady of Lothlórien was dared to drink vinegar and instead of getting upset about it Galadriel simply went along with it to the amusement of the other guests. Rylee was obviously in some discomfort with the spices in the air around her, yet she didn't complain either. Admiration shined brightly in her eyes as Lerain watched the exchange between Rylee and Galadriel.

Jovina sat down beside Lerain and whispered, "I don't think I have ever seen Rylee so happy before."

"Marriage suits her," Lerain said as she watched Rylee lean into Kíli for comfort. He was content to hold her against him, as though every closeness was more valuable than gold. While Lerain's eyes were still admiring, there was the smallest gleam of envy and Bilbo hoped that one day she and Daeron would have the same kind of closeness. Bilbo had little hope of finding such a thing himself. There were no Hobbit lasses who met his fancy and those that came close only seemed interested in his stature and wealth. He didn't want to be with someone if they only fell in love with Bag End. No, he wanted true love or nothing at all.

Once Rylee's sneezing stopped, Ori's hiccups had eased as well. Bombur's fish was finished and the room went nearly silent as items and food was passed around for their meal. Along with the fish, Bombur had prepared a potato salad, glazed green beans, honeyed carrots, and for the elves, a salad that Rylee's book said boosted the immune system and built strength. Bombur filled each plate for each person, Bilbo knew that he liked to ensure that each person got what they needed. Rylee's, as always, was brimmed to overflowing, while Kíli's was only half full. Having watched every person at their meals for the past two weeks told Bombur much about what everyone liked. Like the fact that Bilbo would eat the most vegetables and there was always an extra carrot or two in his bowl. Tonight was no different, as he always did the last person he handed a plate to was Bofur.

As they ate, Galadriel looked around the room as she asked, "So what kind of story would you like to hear?"

"Tell us of your grandsons," Ori said eagerly. A hum of approval went around the room. They had all seen them training before the wedding and to a man, were impressed by their ability and their stoic mannerisms. "Have they always been so studious and dedicated to their training?"

"Well, there is no way that they could have been as much trouble as Fíli and Kíli were in their youth," Thorin said softly looking across at the golden Lady of Lothlórien, "I have a hard time seeing them as pranksters of any kind."

"In that you would be right," Galadriel agreed wholeheartedly. "They were quite studious as boys, interested in being the very best. Though they were often in competition with each other, they also were each other's best friend and companion. After Celebrian left for Valinor, they became even more focused and vowed to help in every way to strike the darkness from the world. There was one time though, that they did pull something akin to a prank. Their intended target was their younger sister Arwen."

"I don't understand Lady Galadriel," Rohinna looked at Galadriel in confusion, "Elladan and Elrohir are both very protective of Arwen, they have always been, even as young ellons."

Galadriel hummed in agreement, her eyes sparkled in remembered mirth. "They thought they were protecting her when they pulled this trick."

Rylee's eyebrow rose as she looked upon the impish grin her friend was wearing, "Go on, Galadriel. Do tell, what did they do to you?"

"Shush you cheeky imp. Let me set the scene," Galadriel said with a smirk. A wicked grin formed on Rylee's face and Bilbo wondered what it could be that Rylee was thinking. Their eyes met and he arched his brow in question, Rylee simply laughed quietly and shook her head before settling into Kíli's arms. "There was a recital coming up for Merith en Gilleth, the Feast of Starlight. Celebrian and the children were visiting during that time, while Elrond was running patrols. Arwen was to perform for this recital, and spent hours each day practicing." Galadriel told them quietly. She took a bite of her food, chewed carefully and swallowed before she continued, "Elladan and Elrohir overheard her at her practice one day and what they heard was not, by any means, pretty. They hoped that with the two moons of practice time, she would improve, but that was not the case. In fact, her voice seemed to get worse and not better."

"The day of the recital dawned and the twins decided that they would do anything to protect their little sister from humiliation in front of all of Lothlórien. We found neither hide nor hair of either of them all morning. Celebrian, their mother, was starting to become concerned. It was not like the twins to disappear without telling her first what they were doing," Galadriel paused for a moment and Gloin took the moment to ask Bifur to pass the salt shaker, which he did.

Thorin stood to grab something from the kitchen and Dori, not thinking much about who he was talking to, asked, "Thorin, would you mind grabbing the sugar bowl?"

Bofur was nearly done his food, the only remaining item was his potato salad which was piled high. He dug in and it took less than one bite for his face to smart and a quiet crunch came from within his mouth. In the silent room, however, it sounded rather loud. He coughed and looked at his brother, who grinned wide under his thick red beard. When Bofur took the second bite with the same results Bombur started to laugh merrily. Bifur looked between the pair signing ferociously in Iglishmek and Bofur finally admitted, "The abominable brat made my potato salad with all raw potatoes."

There were more chuckles around the room as Bofur tried to deal with his plight, knowing it would be rude to throw out the perfectly edible, if raw, potato salad. Thorin came back into the room, set the sugar bowl down beside Dori and returned to his seat beside Jovina. The salt finally made it around to Gloin on the opposite side of the room and he tipped the shaker only for a mass of foam to start covering his fish.

"What in Durin's name is this?" Gloin cried, pulling the shaker back as swiftly as he could, but it was too late. There was a lemony scent as the foam coated the fish and as the bubbles fizzed away, a salty broth was left on his plate. The expression of pure shock on his face had everyone laughing once again. It was made even better when he attempted a bite of the fish and found it to his liking. He chuckled in mirth at the happy chance that lemon and salt both tasted good on fish.

Galadriel waited, with an expression of amusement, for everyone to settle back down before she continued on with her tale. "With the day of the celebration finally at hand, I took a much needed moment to relax in the garden. There is a May Pole there, it is the focal point of that garden, the ribbons are strung out from the top and canopy the garden until they are untied for the Dance of Maidens. As was my habit upon entering the garden, I tugged the blue ribbon to the right of the arbor, and wandered into the center toward the May Pole."

She paused for a long moment as she ate another bite of her supper. "I was nearing the center of the garden before I realized that the ribbons were falling, weighted, and spinning around me. I heard a commotion of noise as the boys came out from their hiding spot behind a bush. Having seen me enter the garden and activate the trap, the twins sprinted forward to try to stop me, to warn me, but it was much too late. The weights were already loose, the ribbons swinging around me. Swirling tighter and tighter, it was not long before I was tied tight to the May Pole."

The room was silent as they listened in awe to Galadriel being tied up in the middle of a garden. Each member of her captivated audience was certain that the twins would have a switch taken to their hides for such a prank, even if it was intended for their little sister. Rylee sat up straighter and grinned in anticipation, watching as Galadriel's smirk grew. Finally, she continued her tale, "The faces of those two ellons, they were so completely stunned. Their faces pale with horror and guilt at what they had done. They started apologizing, talking over top of each other in their hurried attempts to make things right. The looks on their faces, no punishment in all of Arda could have worked better than their own guilt in the matter. Their fingers were fumbling around my feet trying to find the ends and untangle the ribbons. I could not help but laugh at them."

"You should have seen their faces, Rylee, as I started to laugh, they were so completely stunned. The next thing I know, Arwen is there laughing at her brothers. She just kept repeating, 'your faces, your faces!' before bursting out into even greater giggles." Galadriel mimicked her granddaughter and the dwarves laughed as they heard the childish voice that came from her lips. "Elladan and Elrohir turned so red. I swear I have seen paler cherries in the fall than the pinks of their cheeks that day. The twins looked up at their sister, laughing at them so jovially, and they realized that they never would have caught her, because she was spying on them the whole time."

"What happened milady?" Bilbo asked curiously. He was caught up by the tale of old. He didn't notice Rylee watching him carefully. "How did you get un-snared from the May Pole?"

"Well, I didn't, at least not right away," Galadriel said with a grin. "The boys looked from me laughing at them from my prison on the May Pole to their sister, Arwen, who was pointing and laughing and they, of course, gave chase after their sister. Around and around the garden they chased her, she was weaving about like a rabbit being chased by a pair of hounds, and they were hot on her tail the entire time. The boys, being older and faster, caught their sister and pinned her, ruffling Arwen's hair and tickling her until she nearly wet herself. They were gentlemen and didn't get quite that carried away, but from the look on Arwen's face, they were quite close to that disaster."

"Finally they agreed to let her up and with a shared glance they each gave her a Wet-Willie, one in each ear. She shrieked so loud, I just could not help but laugh some more at their antics. When they let her up all three helped to unwind me from the May Pole. Just as I was about to come loose from the last of the ribbons their mother, Celebrian, came into the garden." Galadriel smirked again at the memory. "She looked at us, me still caught in the last few ribbons, Arwen covered in dust from being pinned on the ground and the twins, still flushed red from all their antics. She asks, 'What happened? Did I miss something?' Not one of us could hold back the laughter, much to her stunned amusement. We could not have told her if we wanted to, we were all laughing too hard."

"You are quite right Lady Galadriel. That is not anything like Fíli and Kíli and their pranks. Amusing nonetheless," Thorin said in his smooth baritone.

Bilbo felt that the tale was incomplete and asked, "What happened at the recital? Obviously it was not missed?"

"Quite right, Mister Baggins, quite right," Galadriel said with a smile. "Celebrian took Arwen to go bathe and prepare for the recital while I helped Elladan and Elrohir fix the May Pole. They asked me why I pulled the blue ribbon. They knew that Arwen had picked up a habit of tugging on the blue ribbon that hangs by the entrance of the garden. What they didn't know was that Arwen learned the habit from me."

"And why did you pull the blue ribbon?" Ori asked, his doe brown eyes sparkling with interest. All eyes were on her now as they waited to hear what happened to the Lady of Lothlórien.

"To honor my mother and Rylee," Galadriel answered simply.

"Really Galadriel?" Rylee asked her voice a mere whisper. Bilbo looked at her, her voice was filled with emotion and from the look on her face she was feeling more than a little humbled by such a show of affection. She reached up into her long thick hair and pulled on one of the more intricate braids, beaded with several white and blue stones.

"Of course Mellon nin, my other blue ribbon is long gone," Galadriel said in a dulcet tone. A warm smile played on her lips and lit her crystalline eyes. She looked at Bilbo, who was patiently waiting to hear what happened at the recital, and if the twins prank had been worth the sentiment if not the effort. "The recital went off without a hitch, starting with the youngest of the elves. One of which was a small elleth, barely twenty years old, her voice was one that the twins recognized, but it was much improved from what they heard in the music rooms. It was then that they realized that it was not their sister they had heard, but a child. When Arwen did perform, she dedicated her piece to her loving, loyal, and over protective brothers. Her voice, woven with the soft strains of a harp, brought them to tears."

"Someday, I would love to meet her Galadriel," Rylee said softly. Her voice was tinged with sadness, as she met her friend's eyes. "She sounds so much like Lúthien."

"She is much like her, in both spirit and in appearance." Galadriel agreed with a small smile.

"So, is that why Elladan and Elrohir are both so serious now?" Bilbo asked with a smile upon his face. He could not help it after watching such affection.

"No, they have always been studious, but there was a time that they were quite joyful and jovial," Galadriel said sadly. The elves and Rylee all tilted their heads in a small bow towards the Lady Galadriel and Bilbo wondered why. "There was a horrible attack on Celebrian, they were the ones to find her. It traumatized them all and after their mother departed the Grey Havens, the twins were quite changed. They have since vowed vengeance on the evils of Morgoth and Sauron."

"I am terribly sorry, My Lady Galadriel," Bilbo cried in remorse, not having realized that the reason could be such a horrible one.

"No need to apologize, Bilbo, it happened long ago," Galadriel said softly. Her voice vibrated with emotion, but her sincerity was visible to all.

Dori's spoon clinked softly against his saucer as he set it down after stirring his sugar into his tea. Everyone's eyes were drawn away from Galadriel, just long enough to see the look of shock, confusion, and distaste cross Dori's face as he sipped his tea. His eyes flicked to the sugar bowl and back to his cup as he took another tentative sip.

A small snort came from the direction of the settee and all eyes turned to Thorin. His eyes sparkled with a light that Bilbo had not seen for days and his lips twitched with his effort not to smile. With every move Dori made Thorin's smirk grew larger, Dori's eyes flicked to Thorin for half a moment before he looked back at his cup. Rylee watched the exchange in fascination before finally asking Dori, "What did Adad do, Dori?"

"Nothing," sputtered Dori. He tried in vain not to bring any attention to his obvious plight. He refused to look at either Rylee or Thorin as he tried to play it off by taking another sip of tea.

"Adad, what did you do to Dori's tea?" Rylee pressed, her curiosity was piqued. She reminded Bilbo of a small child, she just had to know.

"Me? I did nothing to his tea," Thorin said, his voice filled with barely contained mirth. "I merely filled the sugar bowl, as it was empty."

Rylee looked from Thorin to Dori to the tea, and finally the sugar bowl. Rylee gasped as it dawned on her, "You filled the bowl with salt!"

"I may have," Thorin said slyly, "the container was not labeled."

Nori burst out laughing, as did Ori. Dori set his cup down in the saucer, and sighed remorsefully, "I suppose there is no point in drinking it. It tastes vile. A waste of perfectly good Chamomile, that is."

Bilbo watched the antics in amusement as the dwarves tried to outdo the latest prank, all while trying to finish their meals and bantering about other pranks that were played. Finally, with the plates cleared, Ori and Bofur moved into the kitchen to do the washing up. Bilbo stayed silent watching the company as they interacted with the Elves and the Dwarrow-elves. It seemed to him that in general they were warming up to them at least a little. Thorin, while stand-offish, was not cold or impolite as he had first been.

Looking around the room he noticed several things that seemed out of place, it took him a moment to realize that these were the weapons that had been hidden around the house. He met Rylee's eyes and she winked at him, holding a finger to her lips. He nodded, just barely and turned his eyes back to the room to see if he could find more than the long staff hidden with the tall candle lamp in the corner.

He watched in amusement as Ori tried to show off for Jovina by juggling cutlery. She laughed at his antics until Ori accidentally bumped a fork and it got caught in her long white hair. Jovina squeaked and tried to get it out, but each movement she made caused the fork to get more tangled. Ori moved to help her and bumped into Bombur who was trying to put things away into the pantry atop a wobbly stool. The heavy Dwarf teetered for a long moment before crashing like a tree into the shelves, breaking one and sending dry goods flying. The company turned in unison to watch as Bombur struggled to back out of the cupboard doors. He was quite stuck, but instead of helping him, the dwarves laughed as Bombur flailed about, not wanting to get in the way.

Bilbo hurried to his side and tried everything he could think of to get Bombur out of the closet door. Nothing worked. Finally, Bilbo grasped Bombur's suspenders and braced his feet on either side of him. His toes curled around the frame as he tried to find any sort of leverage to haul the large dwarf out. With a creek and a groan the frame budged just enough for Bombur to break free of his prison, sending both him and Bilbo flying backwards into Jovina and Ori.

Jovina landed on the floor with Ori sprawled on top of her. Bilbo was pinned between Ori and Bombur. Not one of them could move until Bombur finally moved away. He rolled up and turned to look at the pile below him, helping each of them to their feet. Thorin was there to help Jovina gain her feet, he then gently pushed her into a chair and lightly pulled the strands of her hair off the fork. Bilbo blinked as Jovina blushed at the intimate action. Thorin didn't say a word to Jovina to excuse his actions or beg forgiveness for the intimacy of the act. Once the fork was out, Thorin looked at the fork then glared at Ori and Bombur and grumbled, "A little more care would be appreciated. Fix that and clean up this mess."

It was about that moment when Bilbo noticed that Bombur's ladle was hanging with the other kitchen tools, right in plain sight. He chucked quietly and moved away from the kitchen as Thorin grumbled something else about the incompetence and inconsideration of Dwarves around Dwarrowdams.

Bilbo wandered back into the living area where the Dwarves had split off into groups to try to find their weapons while the Elves attempted to help them, no one was having much luck. Only Galadriel, Rylee, and Kíli remained seated. They were cozy together, Kíli's arms wrapped protectively around Rylee as they whispered and watched.

While Kíli seemed protective, he was not possessive, and while he was attentive, he was not overbearing or controlling. It seemed to Bilbo that the couple had finally found a balance in their relationship that suited them. He wondered what would happen in the next battle, if there was one. Would he allow her to be the warrior she was meant to be or would he try to hold her back as he had tried before? It was the least Dwarrow-like relationship, if what Gloin had told him was to be believed. It worked for a being like Rylee, a person who could not nor should not be tamed or contained.

They were whispering quietly when Bilbo took his seat on one of the nearby chairs. He looked at the two of them and quietly asked, "So you have hidden all of the weapons on this floor?"

"Aye, this floor and the garden," Kíli responded with a sly grin. "We ran out of hiding places in the house."

"How many have you found Master Baggins?" Rylee asked with a twinkle in her deep gray eyes.

"Um, I have spied Ori's staff, Bombur's ladle, Dori's bolas, Nori's knives, Bofur's mattock," Bilbo replied quietly. His voice, though quiet, carried just enough for a Dwalin and Fíli to overhear. He met Fíli's eyes and said with a teasing smirk, "And all of Fíli's."

"You won't tell them will you?" Kíli asked as he looked at his brother. His face fell, as he realized that the game could be up much sooner than he had hoped, but Bilbo was determined to ensure that Kíli could have his fun.

Rylee simply laughed, "Of course he won't Kíli. Master Baggins might give hints, but I can't imagine he would ever tell them outright! Would you Bilbo?"

Bilbo met Fíli's gaze and smiled before turning to Rylee and Kíli. He was feeling rather cheeky amongst the company this evening and he briefly wondered if it was the wine he had with dinner. Finally he answered, "Of course not, I intend to enjoy this."

"So you know where our weapons are and won't tell us," Dwalin growled with a dark glare. Bilbo felt like squirming in his seat, but Rylee's wink encouraged him.

"I would not wish to ruin the game," said Bilbo honestly. He suddenly felt good about his stance and more confident with the dwarves around him. "I assure you, Dwalin, no harm has come to them in anyway."

Dwalin shot him one last look and turned to join Thorin and Balin. He grumbled about Bilbo knowing where the weapons were and not sharing, at which Balin simply chuckled and nudged his brother into searching the bookshelves behind him. To Bilbo's amusement they passed right over Nori's knives twice before moving on to another area of the house.

Fíli was having no luck finding his paired swords or any of his throwing knives or axes. He joined up with Bifur and Bofur to see if partnering up might increase their chances of finding their weapons. Dori and Nori paired together and wandered around, with Dori smacking Nori's hands every time he picked up an object of any interest. Oin and Gloin wandered off in another direction with Gloin saying that their chances of finding their weapons in such a cluttered place being too thin.

"What do you mean the butter plates are in the bin?" Oin asked in complete confusion, "I thought Ori and Bifur did the washing. Seems a waste to me."

He looked up into the rafters looking for his battle staff while Gloin grumbled and rolled his eyes. Shaking his head in annoyance, Gloin huffed and stalked away with Oin following in his wake. "Hold up brother, I thought we were looking for your axes."

"We were until you started talking about butter plates." Gloin said in frustration.

Oin looked at Gloin and tilted his ear trumpet in his direction. "But we just ate, why would you want more potatoes?"

"Bloody hell! What in Durin's name is wrong with that trumpet?" Gloin snapped at him grabbing the ear piece and turning it upside down. A small, round, red, baby potato fell out into his palm and Gloin could not help but laugh. He held it up for Oin to see and said loudly, "You have a potato in your trumpet! Poh-tay-to!"

Oin took back his trumpet and looked at the offending potato and chuckled, "I wonder who put that there, come on brother let's find our weapons."

They shared a laugh and both of them noticed Fíli sniggering at them from across the room. Gloin tossed it towards him and Fíli boxed it away with the back of his hand. The spud rebounded and was headed to where Rylee and Kíli were curled up together on their love seat. Bilbo laughed when suddenly Rylee's hand snapped out of her hold around Kíli's neck and caught the potato before it could hit him. Kíli looked at it and laughed, "That is a handy trick, My Love."

"Hmm, yes, I keep saving you from being pelted with food." Rylee chuckled softly and set the potato onto the table beside them. Bilbo laughed and turned to see Ori and Bombur bumbling about in the kitchen using Bombur's ladle to transfer some honey from a massive cracked pot into a large urn. Bilbo wondered if Bombur even realized that it was his ladle and was completely amused when Bombur carelessly set it in the sink when the task was complete. Neither of them realizing that Ori's sling shot was sitting in a small vase holding wooden spoons on the counter top.

Just as there was a knock at the door, Bifur found his weapons. His boar spear, knife, and sword were placed just so they would look as though they were some intricate carving along the top of the shelves. He grinned from ear to ear and showed Rylee and Kíli who cheered and called him over to join them, now that he was out of the game. Rylee hugged him and spoke to him in the odd sign language that they Dwarves often used. Bifur grinned again and rejoined his cousin, obviously intending to assist Bofur in finding his weapons.

Bifur looked right at him as he passed and grumbled something completely incomprehensible, to which Bofur grinned and translated for him. "He says, the weapons have been well placed and are hard to find. It makes a good game, he won a prize for the first find."

"You are right Bifur," Bilbo said to the wounded black haired dwarf. It still threw him when he saw the axe head protruding from Bifur's forehead. He could only imagine the pain that Bifur was in constantly and yet he never once complained. He was always jovial and the only time Bilbo had ever seen him out of sorts was during the Orc attack. It was then that Bilbo realized that Bifur was a very furious fighter, almost terrifying to behold. "They are well placed. What did you win might I ask?"

Bifur grumbled some more and signed quickly before wandering towards the door, to allow Gandalf and Lord Elrond entry. Bofur grinned again and said, "Rylee told him that once their quest was done, she would gift him with something personal, whatever he wishes. Within reason, of course. My bet is that he will request paints or supplies to set up a toy shop in the mountain once we take it back."

"I could see that," Bilbo smiled in agreement his eyes following Bofur's to where Bofur was holding a conversation with Lord Elrond. To his surprise, the tall dark-haired Elf lord seemed to know exactly what Bifur was saying and actually responded. Gandalf and Elrond joined Galadriel and the newly married couple in the seating area so they could watch the dwarves in their search.

"Where in the bloody Void could they possibly hide my axes?" Gloin grumbled as he passed once again. He and Oin had just come in through the back door from the garden and from where Bilbo stood he could see all of the company's axes tied together and strung up over the doorway in an intricate and oddly beautiful sculpture. Dwalin's, Gloin's, Thorin's, and Bofur's axes were all there together, and Bilbo smirked as Dwalin echoed the same sentiments.

"They are the largest weapons in the bloody company. They should not be so easy to hide." Dwalin complained in frustration. "I am lucky they don't have my daggers or my dusters. I can only imagine where they would put them."

"Stop complaining brother, it is all in jest for the knots we had them untie." Balin pointed to a bowl that sat on one of the side tables filled with large balls of golden string. Bilbo could see Dori's bolas hidden within and he wondered for a moment if anyone else would notice them.

Finally, Ori and Bombur joined the game joining their brothers to search out their weapons. Neither of them seemed to realize that they had rifled through the jar of wooden spoons or that the massive ladle was once again hanging with the other kitchen tools. Rylee and Kíli were having a good laugh at their expense and were whispering to Gandalf and the Elf Lord and Lady. When they were finally found, both Ori and Bombur had a good laugh at themselves. Bombur especially thought it amusing that he used his own ladle to make dinner and didn't think a thing about it.

Fíli was the one to find Nori's weapons, and Nori in turn found Balin's sword. Thorin found Orcrist and Deathless on the garden fence along with Bofur's mattock and Dwalin's war hammer. One by one the weapons were found until all that were left missing were the axes and Fíli's armory. It was about then that Bilbo took mercy on them as they were all getting rather tired and darkness had long set in. "I can help you. I will tell you if you are getting closer to them, by saying hot or cold."

With the five warriors set out, Bilbo had to raise his voice to get them to hear him. Each of the dwarves passed through the doorway several times, much to the amusement of the rest of the company without once looking up. It wasn't long before confusion set in and Gloin's complaining turned loud and obstinate. He was moving further and further away from the axes while Dwalin was moving closer and closer. Thorin and Bofur stood nearly motionless in the center of the room trying to scan the room for their weapons. It was Bofur who finally spied them. Then the company watched in amusement as they worked together to get the axes down and untied from the thick wire that Rylee and Kíli had used to ensure their stability above the door.

All that were left were Fíli's weapons. He was near the kitchen and Bilbo called out, "Cold!"

As Fíli moved into the living area, Bilbo called out, "Warm," but then Fíli veered into an unexplored hallway and Bilbo called out "Ice cold!"

Fíli came back into the room and looked around while everyone else chatted, laughed, and paid little attention to Fíli's growing frustration. He went to stand beside the hearth and Bilbo called, "Hot! Hot! Boiling hot!"

Fíli crouched and looked into the wood bin, amongst the tools and the grate, but there was nothing to be found.

"No, no, you are cold now, Fíli." Bilbo told him with a shake to his head. Fíli stood again and Bilbo called, "Hot, Fíli! You are hot!"

"So I have been told Bilbo, but I was unaware that you shared the sentiment," Fíli returned with a cheeky grin. Bilbo laughed, it was well caught, even if that was not how he meant it.

Finally, they caught his eye and Fíli looked up over the mantle to the intricate art piece that hung over the hearth. There hung a wrought iron decorative piece that held several beautiful weapons welded together to make a scene of battle. Among them filling the spaces and adding more texture to the piece, was Fíli's arsenal. Fíli gasped in awe as he looked up, "I never would have noticed. You have a good eye, Bilbo."

"Thank you," Bilbo said as several of the dwarves moved to help Fíli retrieve his weapons. As the original mantelpiece was revealed the intricate picture almost seemed to come to life. It was of a Maiden riding a massive dragon, an airship and an arrow hurtling towards the wrought iron flames over top a massive triple peaked mountain.

"It is a beautiful piece, Elorin," Rylee said quietly from her seat. "You did an amazing job on it."

"It had to be perfect, Rylee, it had to fit the house of Aulë, and that was the moment I last saw you," Elorin said softly. His deep voice was rough with emotion. Bilbo stopped and held his breath for a long moment. It was then that Rylee's story, the one she told weeks ago at his smial finally sank in. Rylee had really ridden a dragon to its demise, sacrificing herself for the sake of Middle-Earth. These people, her friends, had witnessed her death in the volcano.


	33. Rising Tensions

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, any of Tolkien's works or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either. I own only my OC's and that which I have created.**

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**I am sorry I have been away for a while. Life happened, that's all I can say really. I wish it wasn't so, but we all have moments of humanity. This chapter is pretty much unedited since I wanted to get it out as quickly as I could. Guilt drove me to do it. So if you find any glaring issues, please PM me. I will make sure it gets fixed asap. Otherwise, please let me know what you think. Love you all so much!**

Chapter 33

June 18

Rising Tensions

The days that followed fell into a semblance of normalcy for Rylee, something she had never really experienced before. She woke from her nightmares in Kíli's arms, with him caressing her and whispering to her before she even saw daylight. She didn't visit Valinor, nor did she attempt to use her new power to contact Celeborn. The idea frightened her a little. It was one thing to be in Valinor when a whispered word from Kíli could bring her back within seconds, it was another to be connected with another person's mind where she didn't know how it worked or if she could control it. The promise of negative side effect deterred her as well. Being weak or powerless was not a risk that she was willing to take unless she felt perfectly safe.

When she woke that morning, she was entwined in Kíli's arms. Their limbs tangled together from having spent the night making love, he was rubbing her back as she woke from another horrific nightmare. As the scene faded from her mind, he held her against him, and she whispered, "You are spoiling me Kíli, I won't be able to sleep alone now."

"That is the point, Rylee," Kíli whispered in her ear. He nuzzled closer and pressed warm kisses into her neck and behind her ear. His hands caressed her shoulders, lightly massaging the tight muscles as he stroked down her back. His touch caused tingles along her heated flesh, she was already ready for him, but Rylee was quickly learning that Kíli liked to touch her. Every moment was for his pleasure as much as it was for hers. When his fingertips trailed over her side and belly, she was gasping for breath and arching against him. "Once we are on the road, I won't be able to wake you like this, so I am going to cherish every morning I get with you here."

"Kíli," Rylee whispered softly. Her voice was soft and husky with want and need. Dawn was a long way off yet, but she knew that neither of them would sleep again this night, especially when he nudged his knee between both of hers, rolling her onto her belly. He slid his erection against her, not trying to enter her, just teasing her for the moment. She smirked because she knew that it was equal torment for him as well. She rolled her hips up to create greater friction as he pressed and slid against her making him moan as she did. "Stop teasing Kíli, please?"

Kíli merely chuckled and Rylee whined softly, realizing that she just created a monster. He would draw this out now, just to hear her say please a few more times. He continued his gentle ministrations with his hands rubbing against her skin, teasing away the soreness from their intensive training over the last couple days. Alternating between a gentle massage and a soft, slow sensual slide of his skin against hers, he played with the hard muscles in her shoulders and stroked the solid structure of her collarbones. He pressed his lips against her ear, her throat, and made his way down her spine until he reached the small of her back. She felt his hands follow the path of his lips until he reached her lower back, then they split and moved to each hip, stroking deftly down over her gluteus muscles. He was tormenting her, kneading with his strong hands, kissing, licking, and biting her bottom until she gave in and whispered again, "Please Kíli, I want you now."

He pressed up again and slid his hard cock against her, hitting her sensitive clit, making her moan. "Hmm I can tell, but it is not time yet, I think you can wait a little longer, Love."

She felt him pull away and then his hands returned to play with her bottom again. She couldn't see him, but that only made the sensations that much more visceral and exciting. A gentle pressure, the tips of his fingers, she guessed, stroked down the back of each thigh to the tender flesh of the backs of her knees. Then they moved back up to her round bottom where he cupped her gently squeezing, massaging before his entire hand slid down the back of her thighs. His hands felt so warm in the cool morning air making her small hairs stand on end and a shiver lit across her flesh. This time, instead of coming back to her bottom he continued on, down her legs, over the muscles of her calves, to her ankles and his fingertips lit across the sensitive pads of her feet. Rylee shrieked in surprise as he lightly tickled her. She made to move away, but Kíli was quicker, using his entire body to pin her. Settling himself once again between her thighs, his arms braced just outside of hers. She had no room for escape.

"Damn it Kíli, please don't torture me anymore," Rylee gasped softly arching up against him. He jerked his hips against hers making her gasp.

"Say it again," Kíli whispered huskily. "I love it when you swear for me, say it again."

Rylee was too warm now, she wanted him inside her, she wanted fulfillment and he was holding back. She hated not getting her way, hated not winning, and yet loved the way he could play her. "Please Kíli, just take me damn it!"

He pulled back just slightly before he slowly eased into her from behind, Rylee could not have stopped the low guttural moan that escaped her throat if she tried. It was too much sensation when he pulled almost the entire way out she whined. His sigh mixed with the sound of hers as he filled her again with steadfast grace, as he gradually withdrew, she protested and he merely chuckled. He followed the same slow pattern again and again until she was panting and crying for more.

She was nearing her wits end when he moved his right hand over hers. Kíli gently rubbed the top of her hand before threading his fingers through hers and quickening his pace. She felt his lips press into her shoulder, then the harder graze of his teeth as he nipped at her. Rylee moaned and tilted her neck to give him better access. A low guttural growl was her reward as he thrust into her. Her action seemed to spur him on as he released her hand and trailed his fingers up her arm to her shoulder. He didn't miss a beat as he grazed her ribs making her gasp in surprise at the soft tickling sensation.

When his hand slid beneath her and across her lower belly, she moaned at the increased intimacy of the action. She tilted her hips for him as he caressed her flat stomach and he growled in response. Without warning he increased his pace and Rylee cried out for him. Kíli pumped into her, hard and fast, making her gasp for much-needed air. They were both slick with sweat as she tried to meet his every stroke, but he was relentless as he drove them both on into the heights of pleasure. She was already tilting on the precipice and ready to fall when he moved his hand lower to her clit. He barely touched her and she was calling for him wanting him to fall with her. Kíli wasn't far behind, calling, "Rylee, my Rylee."

Kíli pressed forward again, still seated deep within her, pinning her to the mattress. Rylee was about to protest when Kíli whispered against her throat, "There is still so much I want to do to you Rylee, I am running out of time."

* * *

When dawn broke the horizon, they were both on the training fields along with everyone else. Rylee was training with both Fíli and Kíli. All three of them were slicked with sweat as they sparred relentlessly with each other. When Thorin, Dwalin, and Dori joined them, it became a melee, the explosion of noise startled the horses in the stables nearby. The Elves, who were training in the field adjacent, stopped to watch, even Elladan and Elrohir, who had just arrived from days out on the trail.

Like nearly every practice against her elders Rylee was the last left standing against either Thorin or Dwalin. Thorin having been tagged out by Fíli, then Fíli by Dori left Dori fighting against Kíli. Dori was easily the strongest in the company and skilled as well. It was no surprise when he was able to take down Kíli, leaving Rylee against the two of the strongest opponents in the company. Rylee was quick, stealthy, cunning, and relentless. She had more energy due to youth and skill learned at the hand of Tulkas and Oromë. They had hard earned battle experience and nearly had her down several times before Rylee found an opening and took it.

Dori took it rather well when he found himself sprawled on his belly with Rylee's axe on the back of his neck. He only protested when Dwalin attacked her while she was still so close to him, fearing that if she stumbled, she might actually take his head. Then it was Rylee against Dwalin. Axes against axes, they were evenly matched. Rylee might have been smaller and slighter, but she was not a typical dwarrowdam. Her training alone was above and beyond any of the other dwarrow, but she had been up for hours before with Kíli. Not that she would admit that as any form of excuse, she knew that Dwalin would never accept it.

He swung his left and she countered with her right, the metal clanging like bells across the field. Rylee brought up her right-hand axe and Dwalin was able to move his left hand quickly enough to parry and strike out with his other axe. Grasper and Keeper met Blood and Sorrow, again and again, making sparks fly and chimes ring. Dwalin hooked her left-hand axe and sent it flying and Rylee was forced to fight single-handed against his pair. She barely held him off by feinting left and right, dancing around him. Finally, with a deft spin, Rylee kicked out her left heel catching Dwalin's knee, toppling him like a large tree. She was on him quick as a cat with her axe at his throat.

Dwalin's breath caught in his throat as he gasped for air, each one sounded like a cry of pain or sadness. Rylee looked down at him and grinned, offering her hand to the great warrior. As he climbed to his feet, she said softly, "That, dear friend, is why it is called Sorrow."

"I think I quite understand," Dwalin said clapping his hand on her shoulder with a grin of his own. "I don't know if I could do that every day, but you sure make it interesting."

"As do you, how did you do that trick with your wrist? You nearly had me with that," Rylee asked looking up at him with bright, curious eyes. Over the years, she had discovered that she enjoyed learning new techniques and adding them to her arsenal of knowledge. Anything she could glean from this master, she would take. Dwalin obliged and showed her the movement and Rylee practiced it over and over again until it was second nature.

The Company moved off the field, they had several things that they needed to gather and do before they moved on. Thorin was still debating the date of departure, but they all knew it had to be soon. Their raucous behavior was beginning to wear on the elves and Thorin wanted to be gone before that happened.

Rylee kissed Kíli's cheek and headed to the far side of the training field where Lerain was waiting. Lerain's training always took place after Rylee's training with the Dwarves. As per Lerain's request, Rylee was in charge of her training. As promised, Rylee was relentless in her pursuit of excellence and Lerain did not once complain. If the girl had any complaints, she did not share them with Rylee or with anyone else. When Rylee asked if there were any issues, Lerain told her all was well, that she was learning a lot, and that she was grateful for the assistance.

Rylee lifted her axes as Lerain took her stance, both staring each other down. It was Lerain who attacked first, but it was weak and Rylee had her down within seconds. Barely glancing at the elf maid Rylee ordered, "Again."

Lerain wordlessly climbed to her feet and took her stance once more. Again and again, Lerain would stand and Rylee would knock her right back down. It was like the girl had given up. Rylee was becoming more confused and more frustrated as the lesson continued. When Rylee asked if everything was alright, Lerain snapped at her, "I'm fine!"

"Okay…" Rylee responded uncomfortably and went on to the next lesson. For two hours they went on, Lerain barely trying, often not following instruction at all. It was becoming unbearably tense and obviously pointless to everyone sitting on the sidelines watching. Finally, Rylee calmly said, "That's enough, you can train with Elihara from now on."

"What? Why? I have done everything you asked!" Lerain's voice was panicked and her brown eyes went wide with dismay. It was like she had woken up from some daze and Rylee narrowed her eyes on the elleth.

Rylee shook her head. "You have not given me your best, Lerain. You promised you would work as hard as I do, and you don't. I should be completely spent after training with the Company and then with you. I am not. If you will not give your all, I have nothing more to teach you."

"Why does it matter that you are spent when we finish? What does it matter if I don't give my all? I am tired, I am weary of this, I have other things on my mind!" Lerain protested in frustration.

"An Orc won't give a Balrog's shit if you are tired, weary, or if you have a hundred things on your mind. Those are poor excuses." Rylee countered angrily. She continued in concerned frustration, "The only viable excuse for not fighting with full strength is if you are mortally injured or dead. You won't give me your fire, your passion, your rage, so what's the point? You are wasting my time."

"You want my fire?" Lerain asked indignantly, Rylee simply nodded in response. "You want my passion?"

"Aye," Rylee said in frustration. Every other day this had not been an issue. There was not one time that Lerain hadn't at least put in her best effort. Why was today so different?

Lerain raised her staff and glared at Rylee, her dark eyes flashing. Startling the bystanders, she yelled, "You want my rage?"

Rylee raised her axes, suddenly wary of the other girl. With a low growl of power in her voice she husked, "Aye, Lerain, that is precisely what I want."

Lerain screamed. It was a true battle cry. She came at Rylee with more passion than she ever confronted anyone with before. Rylee met every blow with ease, countered every move with grace and Lerain went down within moments. Rylee frowned down at her, "Dead."

Rylee had only a moment to recover before Lerain was on her feet and attacking again. Like before it was moments before Lerain was back in the dirt. "Dead."

Again and again, they played the same game until Lerain slammed the end of her staff into the ground and used it to vault herself at Rylee's chest. It was the first move Rylee had not seen coming, Lerain had Rylee pinned long enough to scream in her face, "What do you want from me?"

Rylee, however, had an excellent hand to hand combat training, where Lerain was merely using her frustration. With a neat grip on Lerain's wrist, she twisted, making the larger girl's hold collapse. With a quick hook of her legs and a neat jerk to her hips and thighs, Lerain was pinned beneath Rylee. She looked down at the pretty elf maid and whispered, "I want you to stop holding back your emotions, I want you to scream at me. I want you to use the pain, anger, and fear to your advantage. You are obviously emotionally blocked and the longer you hold it in, the longer it will take for you to heal."

Lerain simply looked up at Rylee, her sparkling brown eyes, once again became lifeless and dull. She whispered bitterly, "What's the point?"

"It will make you feel like you killed a dragon," Rylee said honestly. She could remember the first time she let out the rage, directing it all at Tulkas and Oromë. It didn't matter to them that she didn't tell them what happened, it only mattered that she unleashed it. She called them every dirty, loathsome, vile name she could think of and they just took it. For the first time in years, she felt powerful, strong, and finally, in control. It dawned on Rylee then that if they could do that for her, then she could do the same for Lerain. "On your feet, Lerain and this time, don't hold back. I can take whatever you give me."

Lerain blinked up at Rylee for a moment. She seemed to be in shock, but the moment Rylee moved so did Lerain. They squared off and again Lerain screamed a battle cry and attacked Rylee. This time, Rylee didn't take her down. She didn't go for the weak spot, she just countered each attack and let the strikes of the iron staff ring loudly against the mithril shanks of her axes. Rylee didn't want to take Lerain down, she wanted the elleth to find some form of physical and emotional catharsis. The hits were hard and fast, it wasn't long before they were both breathing heavily. When Lerain started to lag behind, Rylee commanded, "More! More fire! Yell at me if you have to!"

"Shut up!" Lerain yelled back. She seethed with raw energy and Rylee could feel the darkness welling up in her. "I hate you Rylee Emitheral! You have been vile!" She gasped for breaths between words, spitting them out as though each one was torn violently from her. "And rude to me! You had no Right!" She gasps again, "I trusted you! You betrayed me with this stupid," The staff hit the axes, "overzealous," another strike, "underhanded" another ringing clash, "idiotic," the sparks flew between them, "excuse" as metal hit metal, "for training!"

"Is that all you have?" Rylee yelled as she held her axe against the staff again and again. She sneered at Lerain, egging her on. "Tell me, what else do you hate Lerain? Jovina for the time she spent with you? Rohinna for the shoulder she offered? Not that you used it! You don't cry do you? You think crying is for the weak! You think crying is for children!"

"I am not a child! I am not weak!" Lerain yelled, obviously too irate to understand the meaning behind Rylee's words. "You don't - know - anything!"

"So tell me, Lerain!" Rylee hollered back. For just a moment she went on the attack, riling the elleth up even more. She could only imagine how frustrating it must be for someone to be pushed back by someone so much smaller. Rylee simply used it to make Lerain even angrier. "What does the poor little elleth have to say for herself?"

"Argh! I hate you! I hate all of you!" Lerain screamed throwing her staff to the ground. She stood towering over Rylee, shouting directly into her face. Rylee just stared back at her. Lerain seemed oblivious to the crowd gathering around them. Rohinna and Jovina tried to get the crowd to disperse, but everyone seemed to be drawn to the distressed elleth. Even Elladan and Elrohir came to see what was about and with every word Lerain spoke, their faces became more and more livid.

"You are just so bloody perfect, aren't you Rylee? The Valar didn't hold anything back when they made you. No! Of course not! Nothing but the best for their little war maiden... but they are wrong! You are cold, deceitful, angry, and hateful! Every move you make is calculated and cold. Do you even have emotions? Are your smiles false? How can you love Kíli with such coldness? I bet you it is all an act. The only passion you have is for fighting. He deserves someone with more warmth, more passion. You sit there and tell me to my face that you want me to get better and then you knock me to the ground every time I make a move!" The girl was seething and breaking apart all at once and Rylee wanted to cry for her. She couldn't, she had to be stronger now than ever before, for Lerain's sake. She knew that her rant was far from over and Rylee committed herself to bearing the brunt of it all. Lerain growled lowly, then hissed quietly, so only Rylee could hear the blackness seething inside her, "You are supposed to help me get better! I feel worse! I can't compare to you! You are the most impossible person I have ever met. No one likes you, not really. They are just afraid of making the Valar angry. If I were a better fighter, I would send you to your death, but I can't. I can only hope that Sauron does rise again and take you to your grave. Everyone who ever hurt me should perish. Not one of you or your bloody company deserves to live. Neither does Galadriel and her bloody white dress perfection! Rohinna, too, can go to the void!" Her words grew more and more hateful and Rylee knew that Lerain was close to falling apart. It was only a matter of time before the rage caught up with her. Until then, the words continued to spill like a cold and relentless waterfall. "Those horrid heathen mixed breeds can die too. And Daeron, he can die, for liking you before he even looked at me."

"Is that all?" Rylee asked. She kept her tone low, monotone, unaffected, knowing that if she showed any weakness or uncertainty, Lerain would try to tear her apart. "Are you finished with your hateful words and your sour outlook? Sauron made his choice, now you must make yours, will you turn your back on your love as he did?"

The look of contempt on Lerain's face was nearly Rylee's undoing, the elleth's words hit her square in the heart, "You seem to think this is easy! That it will all just become happy again, but it won't! It never will! They destroyed every little joy that lived within me! They stole my dreams! They made me nothing!"

Rylee looked at her, stunned. She had not expected such a quick tumble from the walls Rylee knew Lerain was building. She had expected her to be like Jovina and call her horrible names, to rail against her for hours, but she did not. Rylee dropped her axes on the ground with little care to the blades and stepped forward. She held out her hands in supplication and whispered, "You are a child of Ilúvatar. You are not nothing."

Lerain fell to her knees in front of Rylee, tears streamed from her eyes. Hiding her face in her hands, she started to sob. In a raspy croak, she whispered, "I am nothing."

Rylee rushed forward and wrapped her arms around Lerain and the elleth clung to her, sobbing into her shoulder. Crooning to the elleth, Rylee stroked her long hair and held her. "Let it out Lerain. Tears are important, natural, vital for life. Never hold back your emotions, they are what drives you forward and make you who you are."

She held Lerain in her arms while the elleth sobbed and told her how she was found. Lerain could remember the tumble of the river water as she struggled against the current. She was dragged to the river's edge and just as she was about to thank her rescuer, a vile smelling cloth was stuffed into her mouth. They then tied her between several trees, soaking wet and shivering in fear. She was beaten, raped, beaten again, sodomized, and abused. When they were done, they left her bare, bloodied, and broken in the middle of their mountain camp. Vulnerable to any predator nearby, including the pair of Wargs that circled.

Rylee could not help but think that it was a miracle that Lerain survived at all. If she were to make a bet, she would say Yavanna and Ulmo had something to do with her survival.

Lerain said she was barely conscious when Radagast found her, he chased off the brigands and healed a majority of the damage. Rylee barely breathed, she had seen Lerain in the healing halls, if Radagast had already started healing her... how badly was she harmed? "They don't know for certain if I will ever have children and I don't know if I can allow Daeron to touch me as he wants to. I am too afraid."

Rylee brushed the tears away from Lerain's face and whispered, "You and Daeron will figure it out, it will take time, but he is patient. He will wait for you."

"How do you know?" Lerain asked with a sad sniff.

"I don't, but if he does not, do not despair, you have a bright path ahead of you," Rylee said softly. She met Lerain's eyes and added meaningfully, "if you choose it."

"I did not mean what I said, Emitheral," Lerain told her desperately. Her eyes flashed worriedly as she met Rylee's bright gaze.

"Nor did I, but I had to push you. I am leaving soon and you needed to see the depth of your darkness," Rylee told her quietly. "You have a choice to make, you have glimpsed the power that lives in you. You are young yet and have not come into your gifts. Will you use them for good or for evil?"

Lerain looked at Rylee like she had two heads before whispering, "I will fight for the good of my people, my family, my love, and myself." She pauses for a long moment before asking. "What did you mean when you said Sauron turned his back on love? He only ever wanted power and order."

"There was once a time when he wanted more, he wanted love, affection. He just went about getting it the wrong way." Rylee said softly. She pulled Lerain to her feet. "I will tell you the tale tomorrow while we spar. If you can make me lose my breath, we will consider this training well finished."

Smiling shakily, Lerain nodded and picked up her staff. "So, today isn't our last day?"

"I will give you one more, Lerain, and tomorrow, show me everything you got." Rylee smiled at the other girl. "I believe Rohinna is waiting for you."

Rylee retrieved her axes and as soon as she was on her feet and Lerain was away from her, Elladan and Elrohir were standing in front of Rylee. Elladan asking angrily, "Was that really necessary? You had her in tears!"

"It was an emotional day!" Rylee said defensively, wondering where this attack was coming from. What had she done wrong? "Everyone has bad days, today was hers!"

"You didn't have to push her so hard," Elrohir argued with her. "Don't you think she has been through enough? She doesn't need you bullying her on top of it."

"But I wasn't bullying her!" Rylee countered in confusion looking at the twins. "I merely told her I wasn't going to train her anymore, which really I can't if we are leaving soon."

"No," Elladan growled getting into Rylee's face. "You were bullying her. You were relentless and kept pushing her to the ground until she fell apart."

"You think you are so much better than everyone else. The only people you spar with are your beloved company," Elrohir admonished her while Elladan nodded in agreement and finished the thought by taunting her, "why don't you fight against someone stronger and faster than a company of bloody dwarves?"

"You wish to challenge me?" Rylee asked incredulously, gaping at the pair. "Why?"

"You are obviously showing off your skills to her, acting superior and high-handed, so why not fight us?" Elrohir challenged again, his eyes narrowing on her.

"Are you afraid of showing your true nature? You are supposed to be able to fight with fire, but not once have you even shown the ability." Elladan continued angrily, crowding her. Rylee glanced up and saw Thorin and Dwalin holding Fíli and Kíli back along the sidelines. "Isn't it time to show us what you are really made of?"

"You mean you want me to fight you with fire?" Rylee was more than a little shocked.

"You seem to be itching for some sort of fight, apparently the people around you aren't enough of a challenge that you have to take it out on an untrained elleth." Elrohir said in frustration, his eyes narrowing at her. She kind of understood why they were so angry about Lerain. They were protective of the girl, especially since they considered her fragile at the moment. Rylee's training would seem harsh to those who didn't know anything about her and Lerain's arrangement. She just didn't understand why they would want her to use fire against them.

"You really don't want to do this," Rylee said softly holding up her hands pleading with them. She was already exhausted, when she was this tired it became harder and harder to control her flame.

"We do, and we are going to show you why it is bad form to abuse someone in a household where you are a guest." Elladan snarled at her, stepping forward.

Rylee raised her axes defensively and frowned at the pair before responding, "If you wanted to spar, you could have just asked, but I was not doing any harm to Lerain. You can ask her yourself!"

They didn't give her a moment before they were on her, slashing with their swords. While Rylee was exhausted, she was trained for moments like this. Within seconds, her heart was beating steadily with exhilaration and for every strike, she parried, her face grew grim with the intent to win. It was then that Elrond stepped forward from the sidelines frowning at his sons. "Give them what they want Rylee! Show them why you are called Rúnyatári!"

Rylee grinned at him, and with his blessing, she let her flame take over. Being made of fire, it was always there, burning within her. She only needed magic when she wanted to imbue her weapons with power. She would not need to do that this morning, today was about fighting in her most natural state. Something she hadn't done in months. The twins stepped back as she flared with deep red flame. Her voice was filled with power as she looked at them. "Are you certain you wish to do this?"

It was hard to describe what it was like to be in her most natural state. The same state from which she was born. It wasn't that her body was covered in flame, or that she was being consumed by the flame. She was the flame. Rylee became almost intangible, she was nearly impossible to strike or hit when in this state, her movement became as fluid and quick as a flame or a spark. In this state, she was almost inexhaustible, but her weaknesses became exactly those as any normal fire. She could easily be extinguished and in the presence of an enemy, killed. Elros and Elrond were the only ones in Middle-Earth to ever spar with her like this, it seemed fitting that Elladan and Elrohir would be the next ones.

They came at her in unison, and Rylee spun between them, her axes sparking brightly in the light of her fire as they connected with their swords. She moved quickly, their quick speed was easy to match in this form and she soon had them on the defense with her own quick movements. Apparently, it surprised them when she was able to duck, spin, and strike within seconds of their initial attack. They had been expecting her to be slower. Rylee wondered if Elrond ever told them about their sparring matches or the fact that the only way he and Elros ever won was with a well-timed bucket of water, and that was after having been beat a few times.

It took them a few moments to get past the heat that she threw off in this form, and when they realized that she was could become intangible they realized that they might have bit off more than they could handle. If she was cheap or a poor sport she could rid herself of her clothes, drop her weapons and fight them purely with her fire. It would be really easy to set them afire, but that was not the point of this lesson. It was to teach them that while Rylee had not been hard on Lerain, she would be very hard on them.

She met them hit for a hit, again and again until they were soaked with sweat and breathing heavily. Finally, they begged for her to stop, and Rylee lowered her axes. She was about to allow the flame to flicker when Lerain and Rohinna approached.

Rylee didn't know how it happened, but due to her state of exhaustion, she could not control the fire as it flared blue. The Two elf maids were soon engulfed in the blue fire, screaming in shock. Jovina ran forward throwing herself at Lerain, trying to break the fire's hold, but within seconds, she too was held within its trap. Somehow Jovina, though also caught in the spell of clarity, was able to pull Lerain away. As they left the circle of blue flame they both fell to the ground. It was just Rylee and Rohinna caught together, and as Rylee tried to gain control, her power intensified flaring white for mere seconds before both she and Rohinna collapsed.

Rylee was barely aware of the rush of people that surrounded them. Kíli was holding her against him in his arms stroking his fingers over her face. "Rylee! Rylee are you alright? Please be okay, please!"

"They aren't burnt." "Not a single singe or anything." "How is it possible? They were completely involved." The voices were dull in Rylee's ears, but she understood the confusion and the fear.

"Kíli," Rylee whispered softly. Her head was pounding, everything was turning a red color and she couldn't breathe. She started to cough and she felt pain in every part of her body. She knew what happened, and she knew she might die because of it. Rylee just didn't understand why she lost such complete control.

* * *

"Rylee!" Kíli was nearly in tears as he held his wife in his arms. She was bleeding from her eyes and nose. She was limp in his grasp. He knew there was a problem the moment her fire changed. The clear blue flame worried him, she warned him that she could not control it, and when it flared white, his heart nearly stopped. "Rylee come back to me, you are the light of my life, I need you. Don't leave me."

Thorin was right beside him as they reached her side. Jovina was the first to wake, her black eyes blinking in the morning light. She released her grip on Lerain and turned to look at Rylee and then at the mass of people surrounding them. Daeron rushed to Lerain as Elladan and Elrohir rushed to Rohinna, trying to wake them. Crawling to Rylee's side, she gently pushed Kíli's hands aside and held Rylee's face in her hands. Rylee's eyes opened for a moment, bloody and red, it was an awful sight. Jovina looked into Rylee's eyes and Kíli was terrified that they would once again become stuck. "Rylee, I know you can hear me. You need to listen to me. This thread, this white thread is the one you need to hold onto. Pick it up."

Kíli watched in confusion. He wanted to push the older dwarrowdam away, but something held him in check. The white thread. The white flame. Rylee's inner fire. They were all connected. He whispered in her ear. "Listen to Jovina, Love. Pick up the thread and come back to me."

Jovina's eyes remained locked on Rylee's for several more moments before she pulled away and Jovina's eyes locked on Kíli's. "The white thread. It is the one from her tapestry, the one that was severed, it is the one that leads back to her light. It is your thread. Mahal might have set you in her path, but it was up to you to help her find it."

"What are you talking about, Jovina?" Kíli asked in confusion, his eyes narrowing on hers. Kíli didn't care. He did, but he didn't. The only thing on his mind was helping Rylee. She was bleeding.

Rylee took a sudden breath, her hands reaching, and when Kíli took both her hands in one of his, she sighed softly. His name on her lips. Kíli watched her with worry. He needed her to be okay. He could not live without her, she was his everything, his One.

"She picked it up." Jovina smiled looking down at Rylee and then back up at Kíli. "She will be okay, Kíli. If she can hold onto that thread, she will find her light. You did it."

Kíli didn't care about whatever nonsense Jovina was talking about. All he cared was that Rylee seemed to be on the mend. It only mattered that she was still here, reaching for him. He held her close to his chest as the others helped Lerain and Rohinna.

"What was that?" Lerain asked looking at Rylee with a look of awe. Everyone else looked at Rylee in fear, but not Lerain. Her face was the epitome of wonder. "It seems so, so… clear."

Jovina nodded and helped Lerain to her feet, "Clarity. It is her second flame, the blue flame of clarity. It can help one to see what they were blind to before."

Lerain nodded in agreement, "Will Rohinna be alright? She was stuck longer."

"I'm fine," Rohinna whispered softly, rising from where she had collapsed. "I have seen my path, broken, shattered, and yet all the pieces fit together like an intricate puzzle. I have been able to make myself comfortable and content for ages, but I refused to allow myself happiness. I pushed away the one who sees me as more than a cracked and broken mosaic. I have to go. I'm sorry Lerain. I know I promised to spend the day with you, but there is something I must do."

As Rohinna rushed away, completely unfazed by the strange and powerful events, wary eyes turned back to Rylee. Kíli hated the looks she was receiving. He hated the fear that he saw on the faces around them. Elven and Dwarrow alike, they all looked at Rylee with fear. Thorin glared harshly at all of them. "She is the Daughter of Aulë. Have you forgotten that she is fire? Did you doubt that she was capable of using a magic that only the creator of all could fathom? You who call yourselves his children, you know nothing of the world."

There was an angry stir between both Dwarrows and Elves at Thorin's harsh words, but quickly it was laid to rest as Elrond and his sons urged everyone to go back to their usual duties. Thorin picked Rylee up out of Kíli's arms and as Kíli was about to protest, Thorin shook his head. "Let's go Kíli, Fíli. It is time to take Rylee home. She needs to be near her father. Mahal's house is the best place for her."

* * *

Bilbo watched sadly as Thorin carried Rylee away. Fíli and Kíli were right behind him. Several of the others in the company seemed to be of a mind to follow, but Dwalin called them back. "We need to let her rest and Miss. Jovina needs to explain what just happened."

Jovina sighed and looked over at Elihara. "Can we speak use the forge? What I need to do cannot be done here."

Elihara simply nodded and led the way. Bilbo knew what was happening. He knew about Jovina's power, but only a few of the company had experienced it. Everyone gathered into the large forge and once inside Elorin closed the doors.

"I am Jovina Malagnûna of the Blacklocks clan," Jovina said softly. Bilbo smirked as they all muttered that they already knew her name. "I was Rylee's hostess in the First Age. I was there for her first and second quests. I am a seer, I can look into the soul of another being and read a great deal about them." She sighed and looked around at the worried faces around her. Bilbo gave her a comforting smile. "I think it would be best if I gave you each a reading so that you understand what it is like before we go on to answering what just happened."

"Go on then," Balin said warily and Jovina met his eyes. It was just a moment and the company watched as Balin fell into Jovina's thrall.

"Master Balin, sociable, wise, sly but not conniving, you are skeptical of my power and wonder at my interest in Rylee. Like Thorin, your gentle heart cares for her. Well met, Master Balin." Jovina smiled in return, her black eyes never changing. Bilbo knew that her gaze was one that could cause discomfort if it lingered over long. Both Balin and Dwalin seemed a little uncomfortable as she looked upon them. "Master Dwalin, like your brother you are brave, a strong warrior, loyal to those you feel worthy, and you are not afraid to speak plainly. You will not trust me until I prove that I am worth the effort. You are overly proud and you can be quite moody. Do you disagree with my assessment?"

"Who do you think you are, Missy?" Dwalin said standing tall and getting into her face.

Jovina stood her ground and moved her staff a fraction of an inch to a more defensive position, "I am a Seer, I am She Who Is Sacred, I am the eldest daughter of a Blacklocks king. He is long dead, so my lineage means nothing to you or anyone else. I too am overly proud and I am not over fond of others in general."

The rest of the company had gathered around, Bilbo stood just behind Jovina watching carefully as she went on to read Oin and Gloin. She set her appraising eye on the pair and both of them squirmed under her dark gaze, "You have a great deal of curiosity to you Oin, and you are well read, educated. A fine healer if I was to make a guess, you have a gentle soul, but that makes you no less a warrior. You are as brave as your brother."

"What would you know of it?" Gloin said with a dark scowl and an arched brow.

"I know that you are the first to speak your mind, you have no qualms about speaking up against your betters, voicing your opinion and have a hot temper." Jovina turned her dark gaze on him and met his eye, challenging him to deny what she was saying, "However you are quick of mind and body, and are quite strong and loyal, especially to your family."

"Is this some sort of party trick? Are you going to tell everyone who they are?" Dori asked angrily, looking Jovina up and down. Even though they had spent the past week in her presence, none of them had had a chance to get to know it. It was quickly coming clear as to why that was the case.

Jovina met his eyes and chuckled to herself, "I do not need to know your name to know that you are pessimistic to a fault, you always expect the worst to happen. You worry that the others think you a bit of a dandy because of your braids, but they suit you master dwarf. You are one of the strongest in the company and you are very loyal, especially to your brothers. You care very deeply for them and for Rylee."

"Dori, at your service," Dori said with a slight bow, upon hearing the words of praise that she spoke for him. "These are my brothers; Nori and Ori."

"Ah, yes the colorful character of the company, more secrets I have never seen in your eyes, Nori." Jovina smiled at Nori with his pointy braided and styled hair. "Rylee trusts you and she wears naught but mithril. You don't always see eye to eye with Dori and you are a bit of a trouble maker. Stealthy and quite smart, you would do better to channel that talent into gathering information and supplies. Your company will need them soon. Your loyalty is unquestionable and you would protect any member of this company with your life."

"As always, I am the one with mixed reviews," Nori said with a wry grin. Jovina smiled at him in turn and quirked her brow. "I would never harm Miss Rylee though. It would be blasphemous to do so."

"It is no wonder that she trusts you, Nori," Jovina nodded seriously.

"And what about me, Miss Jovina?" Ori asked outright, his eyes eager and his smile shy. He met her eyes unabashed.

"You Ori are a bright one." Jovina laughed at his antics, if she didn't already know that Kíli and Fíli were the youngest of the bunch, she would have guessed Ori, just on attitude and innocence. "You are quite talented, a scribe by the looks of your hands. You are well mannered, sweet, and polite, your mother must have been quite proud of you. We already know that Dori is. You follow direction and are both courageous and determined to find yourself and to prove yourself."

Ori nearly preened under the praise and her watchful eye. The entire company chuckled at her assessment. Bofur and Bombur stepped forward and Bifur shoved himself between the two. "I am Bofur, and this is my brother Bombur and cousin Bifur, at your service, Miss Jovina."

"Let me see you," Jovina said looking at each of them in turn, "Bifur you are most feisty, smart, quick in action, and a great warrior. You are quite creative and are a master at your chosen craft. Your wound does not slow you down in the least, does it master dwarf?"

Bifur signed something in Iglishmek that Bilbo could not understand and he became even more confused when Jovina laughed. "Let us not get ahead of ourselves Master Bifur. That distinction has yet to be determined."

"I have already had the pleasure of reading master Bombur," Jovina turned back to Bofur and smiled at his mischievous eyes. "Which leaves you Bofur, you like to remain optimistic, ever cheerful, your love of music and dancing and the finer things in life will keep you young for a long time. You are not the bravest of dwarves, but that does not make you weak. Nay it makes you strong because you are a defender, you would stand by your brother and cousin until the very end."

"That is quite the trick, Mistress Dwarf," Dwalin said with a slight scowl. Bilbo wondered if perhaps there would be a problem between Dwalin and Jovina. "I didn't hear your appraisal of Thorin or his nephews, and what of Miss Rylee? What is her disposition? Where does she fit into your bag of tricks?"

"Thorin, Fíli, and Kíli can fill you in on what I told them, but Rylee is hard to read, she wears many faces and has many paths. It takes a great deal of energy to read her. The last time I did, we got stuck, actually, I got stuck inside her mind." Jovina sighed and met Bilbo's eyes, "Today was different. The blood in her eyes created a barrier, I was able to see her soul with greater clarity than I have ever been able to before. I was able to see what I need to teach her so that she can wield the flame that you witnessed today."


	34. Tarnished Hearts

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit, any of Tolkien's works or the Characters, I do not own rights to the book or movies or the original plot lines of either. I own only my OC's and that which I have created.**

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**AHHHH! I almost forgot to ask... I am thinking of elaborating on the Lore of Thrai... What do you guys think? ****Would you be interested in reading a dark tale about Sauron and Thrai? Let me know, please, please, please? I would really love to hear from you all. **

Chapter 34

June 18

Tarnished Hearts

Fíli could not believe the mess before him. With the cold accusations of a pair of Elf twins and the backlash of the King of Durin's Folk, the tensions between the elves and dwarves was at an extreme. He looked across the room at Lord Elrond and shook his head. The healers were still with Rylee, other than whispering Kíli's name earlier she had not woken again. Kíli refused to leave her side, holding her hand the entire time. The Company, minus Thorin and Kíli, were gathered in a large circle with several of the elves that were present on the training field the hour before. They were bickering and pointing accusing fingers at one another. Dwalin was ready to crack heads open, specifically, the heads of Elladan and Elrohir, who were strangely absent from the group.

With a look around the room, Fíli was able to locate them fairly quickly. The twins were pulled to the side with Lady Galadriel, he could not see her face but from the looks on theirs, they saw a side to her that they had never seen before and likely hoped to never see again. They were speaking in hushed tones, arguing back and forth, neither of the twins seemed to want to back down from whatever position they were defending.

Suddenly there was a rush of power through the room that was so fierce, Fíli shivered in fear. Power, unlike Gandalf's, flowed off of her in waves of blue light making the light in the hall of fire change from warm red to cold bluish grey and green. "I know that girl as well as Jovina does, she has never and will never bully another soul in her life. She is compassionate and kind, brave and fierce, she is honest and hates telling tales. Even at her darkest, I have seen her fight against whatever has tainted her. You will apologize to her and be grateful that she is not vindictive. The pair of you is extremely lucky that she was able to control it enough that you were not burned. Rylee's fire creates burns that cannot be healed by magic."

Fíli continued forward, it was not his place to intervene between Lady Galadriel and her twin Grandsons. While it did have to do with Rylee, it seemed that the Elf Lady was defending her friend and Fíli couldn't help but feel relieved that it wasn't only the Company who felt that Elladan and Elrohir's accusations had been unfounded. Instead, Fíli moved to join the others close to the hearth so he could tell them the news from Thorin.

Elrond, and Gandalf stood before the massive hearth that the Hall of Fire was named for. Both of them seemed quite upset by everything that was transpiring around them. Elrond's shoulders sagged and Gandalf stiffened as they felt what was happening in the far corner. Neither of them turned in that direction, neither of them seemed to have the need or desire to intervene.

Fíli approached quickly and both pairs of eyes swung to him, followed by a couple dozen more, "She hasn't woken yet. As you said, she is resistant to all forms of magic. The bleeding from her eyes and nose has slowed but not stopped. Thorin says the last time this happened, she was just a bairn, when they first discovered the scope of her magic. He says she has no memory of the incident."

"What triggered this, though, Gandalf?" Elrond asked wearing a grave expression. "I have sparred with her many times while she was in her true form, she can control it well enough to keep it from burning an opponent. Why would it surge like it did?"

"This is their fault!" Dwalin raged, pointing at the twins who had just been released from the wrath of Galadriel. Elladan and Elrohir stiffened in frustration and turned towards the angry Dwarf. Galadriel hissed at them, her voice soft and angry and they turned back to her within a second, both of them looked serious and quite troubled by their recent reprimand.

Círdan and Glorfindel, turned in their defense and loudly voiced their concerns about Rylee's actions. Fíli thanked Mahal for the hundredth time that they were forbidden from carrying weapons during this meeting. That didn't stop the accusations flung back and forth nor the tensions from rising along with the voices. They kept rising to the point that Elrond's voice could no longer be heard. It was then that the shadows rose and Gandalf seemed to grow taller than every Elf in the room. This was more terrifying than the rush of power that Gandalf had showed in Bag End when the company started arguing. The power that rang through the room as he spoke made the hair on the back of his neck rise for the second time within a few short minutes. "Enough!"

The hall fell silent as every occupant looked in alarm at Gandalf. The Wizard was usually the most patient person but this time his anger was written on every line in his aged face. "You will cease this useless bickering at once! There is enough trouble in this world without adding pettiness and wild accusations. While Elladan and Elrohir do have fault in this, it is due only to snap judgement and an over protective nature of their kin."

"Snap judgment alright," Dwalin growled angrily, glaring at the twins. "They haven't been here for days. It was obvious that Lerain and Rylee had a private moment, they didn't need the pair of them to stick their nose in it. Lerain was never in danger of Rylee and likely never will be."

"Agreed, Master Dwalin," Elrond said stepping forward to placate the enraged dwarf as well as to cool the heated elves who were there to protect a pair of their own. The twins joined their father, both of them were much more subdued than they had been when Fíli arrived. "They have not been here for several days and they did make a snap judgment on what was happening. I was there, if Rylee were out of line, I would have stepped in, so would have any number of spectators.

"Don't you think that if Lerain were being attacked, I would have stepped in?" Daeron asked from a bench where he as holding Lerain close. "She is my beloved. I have sworn to protect her. Emitheral was merely training Lerain and helping her through her troubles."

"It looked like Emitheral was beating her down, she barely gave Lerain a moment to rise before she knocked her back down." Elrohir protested standing beside his brother. "What kind of training is that?"

"The kind I asked for." Lerain snapped turning within the protective embrace of Daeron to face the twins. "I asked Rylee to train me the way she was trained, she warned me that it would not be easy. She was not bullying me," She shook her head in disbelief. "I had a bad day! They are going to happen. I attacked her and she was helping me find a way out from the rage and pain that was consuming me. On top of that, I am not some child to be coddled. I am grown and I am strong. I am a survivor."

"The question we need to answer is how do we know we can trust her. This is the same question Turgon asked in Gondolin, I ask it again now." Glorfindel asked the room in general. "How do we keep someone like her in control?"

The dwarves rose in protest along with Elorin and Elihara. Elorin stood tall before Glorfindel his eyes flashing with rage. "You don't. The last time someone asked that they stuck a crown and a title on her that she never wanted. She is just like any of us when our powers become known. She needs time and a teacher, Jovina has said that she can teach her, and I believe her."

"How do we know she can actually be taught? Emitheral has said many times that she has little understanding of her power." Círdan says calmly. Having dealt with him in the past, Fíli knew that he was doing his best to be as honest and non-confrontational as he possibly could amongst a company of Dwarves. "If she cannot understand it, how can Jovina? Gandalf you know Emitheral best, what happened today?"

Gandalf shook his grey head, his beard swishing lightly as he did so. "If I had been there to see it, perhaps I could tell you, unfortunately, I have no theories as to why it-"

"Nienna's Grace," Jovina said coming up beside Fíli, startling him. Galadriel was right behind her. The entire room seemed to fall into silence, Fíli could have heard a pin drop for all the noise in the room. "You all know she was blessed with Nienna's Grace. I was able to look into her eyes after I woke from the Clarity Flame. I saw several things that I didn't know before, things that no one could have thought might connect to this. The healing spell that your white wizard led a couple of weeks ago, it reconnected parts of her magic that have been fractured for a very long time. It is like…" Jovina paused for a long moment and Fíli wondered what she was trying to say that seemed so difficult. "Like a river that has been blocked by a dam, then suddenly the blockage is removed and the influx of power is so great that water rages out of control as it pushes forward. The only difference is that Rylee's power has no end. She is at full power now, the grasp she had on it before is nowhere near strong enough to wield it. Even using her red flame could kill her at this point."

"If that is the case, how was she able to wield it against us for so long?" Elladan asked narrowing his gaze on Jovina. It was obvious that though Galadriel trusted her, the twins did not.

"That wasn't the red flame," Elrond said, stepping in. He didn't need pointed questions wreaking havoc and escalating an already tenuous situation. "She was in her true form, there is a difference. Rylee Emitheral was born of fire, she is fire in her very essence. As far as I know, she has only used her red flame a couple of times since we healed her and it was in the presence of her beloved. She would protect Kíli with her very life, it only makes sense that she would be very careful when in the forge with him."

"Jovina, what has that to do with Nienna's Grace?" Galadriel asked since Jovina had not elaborated on that part of her explanation. "What you say makes sense but you didn't explain that connection."

"When Lerain and Rohinna approached her, the pain and darkness that is in them triggered Rylee's natural instinct to offer comfort and solace," Jovina explained quietly. Her voice was hushed, but it didn't need to be loud in the silent room. Her calmness gave Fíli the shivers, it was strange to hear her talking about Rylee like this. "I felt it the moment I took hold of Lerain, the moment that the blue fire touched me. It was painful, I will not lie about that, and it was bloody terrifying."

There was a murmur around the large room, Fíli watched the faces of the others and many of them seemed to be having the same questions as he was. Rylee's flame invoked pain and terror? Why would she do that to another person? Wasn't her power meant to be used for good? Except Rylee hadn't tried to use the power, it just happened while she was in her true form.

"How would you feel if every darkness in your soul was projected from within you, visible for your own eyes to see? Every misery you ever had, or ever caused to another. I relived the darkest and most dismal moments of my life within seconds of time, but with a clarity and empathy borne from a higher place." Jovina continued quietly. She met the gaze of Galadriel and then Lerain as she spoke. "It was like I could finally see that those horrible moments may have happened to me, but they were never my fault. Then from beyond that darkness I could see paths laid out before me. Not just one but dozens, some were dark, but there was one that was so bright, so clear. I knew exactly what steps to take to choose that path."

"I felt the same," Lerain offered from within Daeron's arms. "It was like I was picking up a thread of pure light, I know what I need to do to heal properly. I know that it won't be easy, even my brightest path had patches of darkness, but I could see them and I could see that I would be alright. It was the second most horrible, painful thing I have ever experienced, but it was a blessing."

"Vairë's threads, Lerain, the white strands are the threads of Vairë, few in this world ever pick them up. The three of us have had the grace of touching the tapestry that connects us to the Valar and Eru," Rohinna said from where she was standing in the doorway. Fíli turned in surprise at the sound of her voice, he hadn't even heard the door open. A quiet murmur spread through the room and then fell as she entered and joined them. "When Rylee touched me with the white flame, I picked up the white thread and the white light consumed me. The darkness that has haunted me since I was a child was… soothed, eased, and healed." She smiled sadly and shook her head. "It isn't gone, it will never be gone, but it doesn't pull at me anymore, I don't fear it like I did. I can sing again…"

Rohinna turned to Nori and Bofur, and told them, "I was so sad, so hurt, that I had no joy in my heart. I couldn't find the desire to do the one thing I loved most in all of Arda, sing." Fíli watched as tears filled her eyes and she smiled, it lit her face in a way that made her even more beautiful. She was absolutly radiant, her spirit was so light despite the tear that suddenly tracked her face. "Rylee gave me a gift greater than I can ever repay her for and she lies in the House of Aulë fighting just to remain with us. You need to put aside your differences and accept that while we don't understand the powers of Rúnyatári, they are a blessing."

"Her magic is all fine and great," Elrohir said shaking his head at Rohinna, "That was never the issue. We were worried for Lerain, but it seems that we may have overstepped our bounds."

"We still need to know what her powers entail. If she can be trusted, can her powers be used against us," Círdan countered shaking his head looking at the others in the room. "Emitheral has told me herself that she is as capable of evil as she is good, that she fights it like any other. If she were to turn-."

"Rylee will never turn to darkness," Dori argued in his usual brusque fashion. Fíli looked at him in shock. Dori was one of the most stubborn and superstitious Dwarves he had ever known. When everything happened on the training field, he and Gloin were the ones holding everyone else back, saying it was too dangerous to approach. "The girl is obviously more powerful than any of you elves could have predicted, but we have spent the last five weeks with her, we know that she would never harm another soul in cold blood. Besides, she is family now, we would never allow her to fall into ruin."

"Agreed," Gloin added his eyes narrowed suspiciously on the elves. "Unless you think we would allow her to side herself with Sauron, this matter should be dropped immediately."

* * *

June 19

After a great deal of convincing, Rylee was allowed to continue her training of Lerain the following morning. She promised Kíli that she would forgo her usual training with the Dwarves and would only work with the young elleth. Lerain took her stance and prepared to attack, but before she could take a step, Rylee was on her with a high slash, which she parried neatly. It was then that Rylee started to tell the tale, "When Aulë created the Dwarves he created the Seven Fathers, and unlike the histories say, their seven wives."

With those words, Dwarrow ears perked up and their audience moved closer. Rylee could almost feel Ori's protest rising to his lips as she went on. "Of the seven Dwarrowdams, there was one who was different. Taller than the others, with no beard to speak of. She was formed in honor of Yavanna, her beauty greater than that of the others. Her name was Thrai, and she was intended for Durin."

Rylee wasn't out for blood during this match. She wanted Lerain to find her stride, her fighting style, and her inner strength. So when Lerain left an opening, Rylee would point it out and they would carry on. Like their match, Rylee carried on with her tale, "She was my height, a little broader in the shoulders but had thick, straight, black hair and violet eyes."

"She was little more than a puppet when Mairon first noticed her. He would have told Ilúvatar and Manwë about Aulë's folly except for her. Thrai would have been destroyed and Mairon did not want that." Rylee told them as she parried a hard left strike and delivered one of her own. "Widen and lower your stance, Lerain. Good. Mairon watched as Aulë taught his creations, he learned their language alongside them. He watched the shells of Aulë's creations slowly fill with life and personalities of their own. He also noticed that Thrai hovered around Durin, as though she loved him already, without their fate having already been decided."

"Correct your hands! Mairon became jealous of the closeness between Thrai and Durin, it mattered not that they were little more than puppets. He wanted Thrai for his own. Better! Follow through with the Strike." Lerain did as was asked and was rewarded when Rylee stumbled back for the first time. Rylee smirked and carried on allowing Lerain the small victory. "When Ilúvatar found out and the Dwarrows nearly struck from the living, Mairon made his move. As life filled Thrai's vessel, Mairon grabbed her and took her with him."

"The thieving bastard!" Dwalin grumbled from the sidelines. Rylee was surprised, he rarely ever showed interest in her histories. This one seemed to affect the entire company, they stood rigid, wary, and angry.

"He hid her away in the mountains, underground where he knew she would be most comfortable. What he did not count on was her love for Durin or Durin's for her." Rylee went on a burst attack to see Lerain's reflexes and was happy to see that the elleth was learning from her earlier errors. It was obvious that Lerain was winded, but Rylee was not, she was still speaking with ease, and so she carried on with the tale. "She tried to escape him several times. At first, he was forgiving and simply brought her back. His attempts to woo her were poor at best, for while he had been watching and admiring her, he had not listened to her. He had thought that what she said was simply a mimicry of what Mahal wished to hear when truly it was her own traits and nature that responded. He would bring her diamonds and emeralds and rubies, she would mine for amethysts, sapphires, and aquamarines. He would find her mithril and gold, she would search for silver and platinum. She preferred rich savoury foods, he would bring her sweets of every make. He made her miserable, and she was not what he thought she was. Still, he desired her, and what she would not give freely, he took by force."

Lerain's gasped and went still, looking at Rylee in shock. "He - he raped her?"

Rylee nodded grimly as the dwarves and elves who circled them grumbled.

"Mahal!" Ori breathed in shock. His eyes were wide and his pen scratched quickly over the parchment of his book.

Rylee cleared her throat, "There was not much Mahal could do since no one knew where Mairon hid her. You must remember, that as much as Mairon was contemptuous, he was not yet fully evil, he loved her in his own fashion. Thrai loved him in return in her own way." There was more enraged grumbling from her captive audience and all she could do was nod grimly. "She developed a fascination for her captor, this was before he was discovered as a traitor, as a deceiver. His true nature was not yet known, but Thrai learned quickly that Mairon liked things a very specific way. When she did not perform in the manner which he expected, she was beaten and abused. It was not long before he broke and twisted her spirit, turned her dark and hateful."

"What happened Rylee? She was a Dwarrowdam, she could not live forever, surely he knew that she would die," Thorin asked from the side. Lerain tried to use the question as a distraction and nearly succeeded, Rylee faltered, but did not go down.

"It was not long after he raped her that Thrai learned she was pregnant," Rylee told them. Lerain, with a burst of energy, spun and twisted in order to surprise Rylee. The move was slow and telegraphed, but well executed. Rylee blocked it easily and said, "Nicely done, speed it up so you don't give away your intent." Lerain nodded in response and carried on with her next volley of hits. Rylee carried on with the Lore of Thrai, "Eighteen months passed, Mairon thought that he had Thrai well in hand, she was mild and obedient with him and bowed to every request. It was then that Morgoth called for Sauron to his side, bidding him to show his hand. Thrai begged Mairon not to go, she begged him to stay, to love her, to help her raise their child."

"Rylee, you haven't answered the question, surely he found some magic to keep her with him," Ori said softly, his eyes pleading. "You said he loved her, surely he would have found a way to keep her with him."

"From what I have been told you would have been right. Apparently Sauron was able to put a spell on their mountain that would have kept Thrai alive eternally," Rylee said with equal softness. She briefly met Ori's eyes letting him know at a glance that this story was not a happy ending. "Mairon ordered Thrai to remain in the caves, giving little thought to how she would sustain herself. Then he left, turned his back on Ilúvatar, he shunned his Maiar brethren and the Valar. Thrai quickly ran out of food and had no choice but to leave."

"So she remained a mortal, what happened to her and the bairn?" Balin asked his frown deepening in his face.

"She remained mortal," Rylee nodded her agreement and carried on. "The moment she left the cave, memories flooded back. She remembered that she was a Dwarrow, that her maker was Mahal and Durin was her One. She went in search of them and found that her kin was laid to rest within the mountains of Middle-Earth, far from where she was. The only one who remained was Durin, her beloved."

"Please tell me that Durin won her back from that monster?" Gloin grumbled, looking frustrated with the tale.

"He did, but it was not long lived. By this time, Sauron's deceit was known to the others. Durin was hotheaded and brash and wanted vengeance. He set out after Sauron, and Thrai was torn between her love for Durin and the good that she knew still lived in Sauron's heart. She followed Durin to the battlefield and as they faced each other, Thrai stepped between, pleading once again for Sauron to return to the light." Rylee's voice was soft. She still was not breathless from her own sparring, but the sadness of the tale deserved the mournful cadence to her voice. "He refused, telling Thrai to move out of the way, to allow him to kill Durin for once and for all. She remained steadfast and Sauron made his choice."

"No, please Rylee, don't say it. I can't bear it if you say it." Lerain said softly setting her staff against the ground. She looked at Rylee pleading.

"She died in Durin's arms as he carried her to safety," Rylee said sadly and looked at Thorin as she spoke. "Manwë decided that it was best if Durin's memory of Thrai was wiped away. He was set down in Middle-Earth alone. With Eru's blessing, Thrai was later reincarnated as Eridith a princess of the Blacklocks clan. Jovina's niece, and the mother of my best friend, Kaia."

Ori looked at Rylee his eyes wide and sad. "The babe was lost? She went through all of that, loved more than one, lost her babe, and died?"

"Aye, Thrai sacrificed herself for her One, and for that sacrifice, she was returned to him," Rylee nodded with a sad smile. "He may have had to wait for her, but he felt it was worth it when he found her again. Sauron, however, still lives with that choice, he doesn't know that Thrai was reincarnated. He never crossed her path again."

"Bloody good thing that is too," Dwalin grumbled fiercely, his eyes flashing with indignant rage. The ground seemed to tremble along with his rage and it was a moment later that they realized that it was not due to the story or Dwalin's anger. It was due to the stampede of the ponies, led by Mikhaul as they galloped behind the proud mare.

"Mikhaul!" Rylee cried dropping her axes to the ground and turning to run to her friend. "Where did you find them? I am surprised they were not harmed!"

"Well, I had a feeling they might try to return to the last safe place they were at." Mikhaul returned softly. From the gasps on the faces of the others present, the mare had made her voice audible to everyone.

"That is wonderful!" Bilbo cried hurrying up to Myrtle to say hello. The little horse whickered in joyful response as they were reunited. The rest of the Dwarves were equally pleased, with both Mikhaul and the fact that the ponies were returned unscathed. Rylee shook her head in amusement. They were most likely more pleased by the fact that they would not have to walk the remainder of their way to their destination.

"Are you alright Mikhaul? You have been gone so long, I was worried," Rylee said softly to her dearest friend. Throwing her arms around the great horse's chest.

Mikhaul dipped her head, hugging Rylee close, snuffling her clothes. "I am as I have always been my dear friend. It was nice to run and be free while you have been hidden away in this river house."

"You would say that Mikhaul," Rylee teased looking up at the tousled strands of her mane and tale. "It looks like I have some work to do."

"You do, but it can wait. I plan to enjoy that pond beyond the House of Aulë before you set my locks to right," Mikhaul said tossing her mane, pretending to be vain. Rylee simply laughed at her antics.

"I'm glad you found them, now we can make good time when Thorin is ready to leave," Rylee said stepping back from Mikhaul.

"That is all well and good," Fíli said as they took the horses into the stable to be cleaned and cared for. "Except for the fact that the lower pass is closed, there were reports of fjords overflowing from the recent rain and a bridge knocked out along the way. We will have to take the high pass and the ponies won't be able to go much farther than the upper tundra of the mountains."

"Count your blessings where you can, Fíli," Lerain said with a small smile. "At least you can ride until that point, then Mikhaul can bring them back here for safe keeping. If you ever come this way again, you will be able to retrieve them."

"The lass has a point, Fíli," Balin agreed looking around at the company, "We thought it would take months over the mountains, now with the ponies, we can cut that time in half. It is not an easy journey to undertake while on foot."

"And the ponies will appreciate returning to somewhere safe, rather than roaming Orc savaged wilder-lands," Mikhaul added as she turned toward the House of Aulë. With that, the plans were quickly being made and maps were being looked at. Thorin's map was set to be read two days hence and they would be leaving as soon as they knew what it contained, whether it was good news or bad. At least then, they would have a clear indication if the trip to Erebor was even worthwhile.

While the dwarves were discussing the journey, Rylee waved to Kíli, blowing him a kiss and then joined the women on the edge of the field. This was the day that they were going to be enjoying the hot springs. Rylee picked up her pack which carried her dinner clothes, a towel, and her hair brush. She was in the midst of the group, laughing at a jest that Jovina told when she was suddenly spun around and a kiss was planted solidly on her lips. Before she could do anything, she was spun back around and Kíli whispered in her ear, "I miss you already."

"Incorrigible brat, you are, Kíli," Rylee grinned, leaning back against him.

"Aye, one that you love," His agreement whispered in her ear as he held her close for a moment. He gently pushed her away. "Off you go, Amralime. Your friends await."

With a small sigh, Rylee looked back at Kíli and smiled. They were not even parted and she wished that she didn't have to go. The dwarf made her hopeless, with a blush on her cheeks Rylee turned back to join the others. Blushing brightly as they teased her relentlessly for her obvious infatuation with her husband.

"Does this end? This feeling? Does it end as time goes?" Rylee asked Galadriel and Elihara as they settled into the water of the hot spring.

"End? In a way I suppose, the more familiar you are, the longer you are together, you find moments of stillness in your relationship." Elihara was the one to answer. "Love changes over time, at first, there is the initial fall and the infatuation. Then will come the moment when things become stressful and hard, the realities of life will hit you, it is then that you must decide how deeply your love goes. This is why most Dwarrow wait for a year before marriage. Is it ageless? Strong? Can you remain loyal to your love? If you decide that your love will abide all time and all outward interference, you will find that it will deepen into something more. Love is something you must work at all the time. Otherwise, you will find that you become complacent and you will grow apart and become bitter."

Rylee looked at her friend in shock. She could not imagine ever growing apart from Kíli. She could hardly imagine a day that might come that she would be complacent. She was devoted to him. He was her One.

"It would be different for Dwarves, though," Jovina said softly from the other side of the pool. "Our kind only loves once, and while the sequence of it is much like Elihara says, we tend to recommit ourselves to our relationship regularly. Often falling in love over and over again."

"Don't you remember, Rylee, Eridith told you the same thing," Rohinna said softly, meeting her friend's gaze. "She and Durin were together for over seventy years when you came back the third time. She said that whenever she thought that something might pull them apart, they would find strength in each other and they would fall in love once more."

Rylee nodded in response, that seemed to be similar to what Elihara spoke of, the only difference was in the union of a Dwarrow's One. It was strengthened by the blood bond between the lovers. Without a blood bond, Rylee could see a couple growing apart, but there was magic in the blood bond that could help two hearts and two souls into one.

"You realize Rylee, that you are not mortal in the same sense that Kíli is, he will age, and some day he will be taken into the Halls of Mandos with the blessing of Mahal," Galadriel told her quietly. Her countenance was grave and serious, her tone was calming and yet there was an underlying sadness. "You have the magic of the Ainur within you. You could be immortal if you were not killed, much like an elf. By tying your life to Kíli's as you have, you have accepted the path of Lúthien."

"I have always known that my path was to be like Lúthien's. It is the reason that her song for Mandos moved me so deeply," Rylee admitted to her friends. Lerain gasped softly as she spoke of it, apparently she had not thought of the idea that one would willingly make that choice before finding their beloved. "I do not wish to live forever, I cannot imagine living beyond my purpose, whatever that might be. Just as I cannot imagine living longer than Kíli. When he goes, I will go with him to the Halls of Mandos, if Mandos will have me."

They all looked at her for a long moment and Rylee looked back at her friends. There was a solemn lull that fell over their party. It was quiet for a long moment as they considered the idea that one day Rylee would pass from the world for good, that a time might come that she would not be returned to the land of the living.

"Let us not think on this anymore," Rohinna broke the spell over the hot pool. "We have come here to celebrate. We are blessed to be here together, old friends and new. It is time that we turned our minds to greater and more amusing things."

"Well, Galadriel and I brought some wine, would anyone like to have a sip?" Lerain asked meeting Galadriel's gaze with an impish smile. Rylee wondered what it was about as the rest of the group wholeheartedly agreed. The bottle was passed around, but Rylee didn't partake, for some reason the scent of the deep red wine unsettled her stomach. She frowned and wondered why since she had never had a problem before. Then again the healers told her when she woke that they had revived her with strong salts and the smell of certain things might bother her for a time. It was well enough that none of the others thought anything of it and it was not long before the bottle was empty.

All but two were surprised when Lerain asked in a low deep timber, "So, Ladies, did you enjoy the Devil Weed Wine?"

Shocked faces looked back at one another as Lerain and Galadriel cracked up in peals of laughter. Lerain's voice was harsh and sounded much like a toad croaking by a glade while Galadriel's was high pitched and squeaking like an unoiled hinge. Rylee shook her head looked at the pair of them in amusement. "Mayhap that is why it turned my stomach, I have had my share of that weed, I do not need anymore."

"I cannot believe you did this to us," A tiny mousy voice came from Kalyna, which made her mother burst out into gales of clanging laughter. It was loud and obnoxious at first and then changed to a winding whistle that ended in a titter of bird song. Lerain and Galadriel only laughed harder as they heard the effects of their prank. Their own voices changing in sound, clarity, and depth.

"I was wondering why it was suddenly so easy to breathe in this steam," Jovina smiled testing her voice. It was obvious that she was trying not to laugh when her normally husky voice came out in an echoing clamor of bell like tones. Rylee covered her ears at the loud tone. It was amazing what that horrid weed could do to a person's voice.

"If I," Rohinna started, her voice was almost too high pitched to hear so she stopped and tried again. "If I," It changed into a throaty rasp that unsettled them all, she stopped again. "If I didn't already love you like a sister, I would push you out of the pool, Lerain, you too Lady Galadriel, I can't believe you."

Rylee laughed long and hard as Rohinna's usually lovely voice changed no less than four times in that one stretch of dialogue. Not a single one was in any way flattering to the Elf Maid. She laughed even harder as Jovina clearly stated in a froglike voice that Galadriel was known to pull the rare prank, often taking part as she was today.

"Well I can hardly allow everyone else to have all the fun," Galadriel smiled softly in the crystalline caves that surrounded the hot pools. A becoming blue light lit her features as though she was bathed in moon light all the while she sounded like some oddly high pitched squawking bird.

For the hours that followed each of the Ladies played with their voices, often singing a song to showcase their range of voice. Rylee laughed until her sides ached at the antics, all the while she was glad that she had not again been subjected to the Devil Weed.

When it was time to pack up and go, Rylee was the first to climb out, peeling herself out of her sodden underwear and wrapping an elvish silk towel around herself. She set her bag near the others and sat on a nearby stone to start brushing through her hair, the various braids and beads making the task arduous and for the first time she wished that Kíli was there to do it for her. The others were long past ready and had other tasks to attend before dinner that evening so they called out their goodbyes and it was not long before Rylee was alone in the caves.

When she finally had out the last of the knots, Rylee stood and turned to get her clothes out of her bag. She turned again in a full circle, scanning the entire area, her bag was gone. She called out to her friends who were the last to leave, "Rohinna? Elihara?"

There was no answer and Rylee turned again, looking beside every rock and every formation that struck up from the ground. "You have got to be kidding me." The only thing of her own that was left behind were her boots. She stepped into them and shook her head. She must look a sight, thick leather boots, a sodden Elvish silk towel wrapped around her body, and dragon tooth hairbrush in her hand. She crept to the entrance of the cave, looking around for anyone nearby, hoping this was some prank.

"Jovina? Lerain? Are you there? Kalyna? Galadriel?" She called out to them but still there was no answer. The bright afternoon sun was starting its descent into the west, but sunset was still a long way off. She would find no cover there. With a sigh, Rylee carefully made her way back up the trail, creeping from outcropping to rock trying to remain hidden from anyone's view. It would take some time to get back to the House of Aulë since it was on the far side of Imladris. She would have to make her way past the market place without being seen, not to mention the actual village where the majority of the Elves resided. At this time of day both would be bustling with people and Rylee knew very well that there were very few places for her to hide.

She wasn't very far from the exit of the hot pools when she heard voices carry towards her. Male and speaking Sindarin. There was no place for Rylee to hide other than a small crack in the stone face of the canyon wall that led to the pools. She had no other choice but to try to make herself as small as possible and press into it.

The pair were laughing and talking about nothing of real importance, just random topics that Rylee couldn't care less about. She simply hoped that they would hurry up and move along. Luck was not in her favor. They slowed as they approached her and one even stopped to pick up stones along the path to throw into the river below. Rylee held her breath the entire time, praying that neither of them turned around because if they did, she would be completely visible. Finally, they went further up the path to the hot springs and she let out a sigh of relief.

There was no relief for long. She stepped out of the crack only to find that her towel was caught on the rocks and she couldn't seem to tear it away. In a fit of frustration and a hazy wave of panic, she burst into flame, the towel turned to ash and Rylee was left holding her hairbrush and wearing naught but her boots. "Crap, crap, crappity, crap! This cannot be happening!"

She looked around frantically, but still there was nothing but rocks and the path and the rivers below. The hot pools were behind her and the market and village before her. In a desperate attempt to cover herself, Rylee rearranged her hair over the most important bits before sneaking forward. She made it to the fork in the path before she had to find a new hiding place as a group of couples came back from the Crystal caves on the lower path. This time, she had to crouch behind a low boulder, being as quiet as a dormouse until they were far enough ahead of her that she felt it safe to emerge. Her heart was pounding with exhilaration and adrenaline. She was tempted to take her true form and simply walk home. The only problem, she was still bare, and they would still be able to see every part of her that was uncovered. Worse, she would probably even draw more attention to herself.

With a sad groan, she set out again with each step taking her closer and closer to the loud bustling market. There was much more to hide behind here, but everything seemed to have a vendor selling wares or people rushed around in waves, churning in every direction. She would be seen within seconds. Every moment was like having tiny heart attacks. She remembered when she was a little girl, long before her dreams turned to portents, she had nightmares about being caught naked in a crowd. Now she was living that nightmare, how had Galadriel lived this so many times. How had she laughed about it? Rylee wanted to find a place to curl up and die of mortification and she had not yet been caught. She scurried from bench to bush, then crawled from the bush to the underside of a table. Then from the table to a slightly more concealing bush.

As if she materialized out of Rylee's thoughts Galadriel was there, a few meters away looking over a table of wares. Rylee's first instinct was to call out for her, but if she did that, all of the other Elves around her would turn to see who was calling as well. No, it was best if she didn't use her voice. How else was she to get Galadriel's attention?

It came to her as she leaned deeper into the bush as someone passed by. There were bright orange berries on the bush with a soft reddish gold sap inside. Several broke open and smeared across Rylee's skin as she hid, waiting for the passerby to leave. When he finally did, Galadriel was gone, having moved to a table further along. Rylee groaned softly in frustration. She would have to try to follow her friend, but stealthily or she would be caught naked as a jaybird. After picking a small handful of the berries, Rylee crept forward. There was a small circle of tables in the center, every one of them was occupied and there was a bustle of activity as one of the vendors made a call for some of her more popular items.

Using the distraction, Rylee sprinted for a pair of rocks and a tree that would hide her for a moment and get her closer to Galadriel. It was there, hiding among the rocks that Rylee made her stand. Galadriel was perusing a table, looking at several beautiful jewels that were on display. She was leaned over inspecting them when Rylee's first berry hit her on the top of the head. Galadriel raised her hand to her head and touched the soft sap that splattered in her hair, she pulled her fingers away looking in confusion at her hand. Rylee took aim again and, this time, hit Galadriel on the shoulder, as she turned to look at the vendor. This time, Galadriel's eyes scanned the crowd, but Rylee had to hide from a pair of on lookers who were interested in a pair of birds that were playing in the branches above her head.

When they finally moved along, so had Galadriel, she was a little further off, but directly facing Rylee. With a prayer of thanks up to the heavens, Rylee set her last three berries flying. The first hit Galadriel in the chest, the second in the hollow of her throat and the third. Struck her right between her eyes. It was in that very second that Galadriel's pale blue eyes met Rylee's. Rylee sunk to the ground amidst tree and rocks as a few people turned to see what it was that their lady was looking at. Surely she was caught, Rylee was certain of it. Her heart pounded in her ears as she waited for the elves to approach.

It wasn't until a silver white cloak settled around her that she looked up. She was under a cloak as someone took a seat on one of the rocks. She couldn't help the sobbing laugh as Galadriel said, "Funny how this cloak has now saved both of our behinds."

"I'm rather glad of this cloak," Rylee whispered as Galadriel unclasped it and Rylee quickly clasped it and closed it around her. "It is both the best purchase I have ever made and the fondest gift I have ever given."

"Agreed," Galadriel hummed as she stood. Rylee moved quickly out from her shelter of rocks and tree to stand beside her. "Perhaps you can tell me your tale as we get you safely home. Now that you have one to rival some of mine."

Rylee grinned at the mention of Galadriel's streaking adventures. Of all the people to have rescued her, she was glad it was Galadriel.


	35. Lunar Runes

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Chapter 35

Lunar Runes

June 20

Elihara helped her procure the supplies she would need for a health fortifying tea, one that would help to strengthen her body against illness and help her to heal faster if there were any injuries along the way. The added benefit was that it would do no harm to a child, if she and Kíli conceived one, it would actually help to protect the babe if that was the case. Rylee assisted Elihara in every way that she could while she was there, even if it meant wandering the market procuring items of import.

They were on their way through the courtyards of the main palace on their way back to the armoury when they came upon Bilbo wandering through the main house. He was looking pensive and thoughtful. Elihara looked down on the hobbit with great affection, "Dear Bilbo! How fare thee on this glorious day?"

"I am well, thank you Elihara, and you?" Bilbo asked in response, his expression brightening as they approached.

"I am well, Bilbo." Elihara smiled and asked, "Are you going anywhere in particular or would you like to accompany us home?"

"I suppose I could escort a pair of fine ladies to their home," Bilbo said with a smile. He offered his arms to each of them; Elihara took his left and Rylee took his right and together they made their way through the palace.

"So, has Rylee told you the story of Fleetfoot Took and his Werewolf?" Elihara asked Bilbo with a mischievous look in her eyes.

Rylee groaned into her hands, "Why are my weakest moments everyone's favourite stories? I mean, I have successfully killed twenty-eight cold drakes and six fire breathers without gaining a scratch, and yet everyone likes the stories where I nearly die."

"Wait! What? How many dragons have you killed in total?" Bilbo asked in complete shock. In their month on the road together she never shared how many dragons she fought, and it was the one question no one asked her, even though she was the company's official dragon slayer.

"Thirty-three cold-drakes and eight fire breathers, it would be more, but Kíli did slay the last one," Rylee said seriously. "Strangely I still got a braid for it."

"So when you and Kíli went hunting and killed the dragon together, you got a bead anyways?" Bilbo asked as he put together the pieces of what she was saying.

"Aye, I did," Rylee said with a small smile. "It isn't black either; it is this one here." She pulled out a thin braid from behind her left ear and showed Bilbo the tiny blue gem that was woven in her hair.

"Rylee, tell him of Took! You are purposely dragging your feet!" Elihara laughed, and Rylee groaned again in protest.

"Oh, fine," Rylee sighed in defeat. Why was this one everyone's favorite story? She just didn't get it. "It was during my second life that it happened. It was only a week after I arrived in Middle-Earth. Gandalf had already returned home. Fleet Took was staying in one of the camps in Lindon," She paused for a moment. Bilbo might not know where Lindon was, considering that it was part of Beleriand; so she added, "the northern Blue Mountains. He didn't witness me arrive, but he was certainly surprised when I came out of the forest with Mikhaul and Jovina, and joined them in camp. He was a quiet unassuming Elf when you first met him, much like yourself, a little hesitant, but once you grew to know him, he was a very adventurous person. Norwend inherited his hair color and his eyes, which were known to twinkle in delight. That is a Took twinkle, you, Bilbo, have the same one. He was curious, but he would not say more than two words to me on any given day. I was certain that he hated me, and I had no idea why… that is a story for another time."

Anyways, he was with us while Jovina and I searched for a way to get through the mountain pass to Gondolin. We were near the Pass of Anach in Beleriand, headed west; Took was leading us through the perilous hills and mountains of Ered Gorgorth, or Mountains of Terror. I was told to seek out Thorondor, the King of Eagles, I was told that he would know the way to Gondolin. It was a dangerous path, Cold Drakes were becoming more and more plentiful and cunning since Morgoth released Glaurung upon the world. Even with Glaurung dead, it was very hazardous to be near those mountains. Not to mention, Ungoliant's nest was not far from there." Rylee shivered involuntarily as she spoke Ungoliant's name. It seemed Rylee would never escape the grip of the spider, whether Ungoliant was considered dead or not, the overwhelming darkness of the Unlight haunted her.

"The path was long, it took several weeks to make our way up through the trails in the mountains, and we were finally nearing the peaks that secreted the great eagles within their peaks. I, of course, would go off hunting every day and return with a few scrapes and scratches. It was our fourth week that we came across an envoy of Dwarves from the Seven Kingdoms. Durin was among them. Imagine it, Bilbo. Fíli's looks and colouring, but with Thorin's bearing, Kíli's cheekiness, and Bofur's sense of humour, all rolled into one Dwarvish package! That was what I had to contend with. Do you agree, Elihara?"

"Oddly yes, that is the perfect description of Durin!" Elihara laughed and clapped her hands, in glee. Bilbo smiled in amusement at his ancestor's girlish behaviour.

"Well from the moment the Dwarves joined us we found nothing but danger; it seemed that their noise and shenanigans attracted trouble in every shape and size. Just because Jovina and I were in the group, they suddenly became mother hens and did their best to prove to us that they could protect us from danger. It was nauseous, awful, and they were all overbearing. Jovina simply rolled her eyes and went along with it, considering that she was used to it. I, however, am a War Maiden, not some weak little girl. For weeks, I was the one fending off Orcs, Wargs, and whatnot so that we could travel west, without much more injury than a scratch! Then they arrived."

"We just made it into the Crissaegrim where Ulmo promised that there was a hidden path up the side of the mountains. We were promptly attacked by a pack of Wargs, the odds were three to one. Somehow we survived the attack and made it to a safe haven among the trees, and the Dwarves made a beeline for the animal track that Fleet pointed out, scouting ahead. We waited and waited for someone to return to let us know if the passage was still safe, but not one of them returned. Myself, Fleet, and Jovina decided to take the path, but carefully in case we found that the Dwarves indeed found yet more trouble. Fleet went first, since he knew the way, then Jovina and finally myself. I made it a habit of looking behind as often as I looked ahead and it was a good thing I did. The moment we turned the corner around the mountain wall I noticed that the Dwarves were locked in a large cage on a precipice to the left. I also noticed that there was a small horde of goblins and a Werewolf waiting to ambush us."

"The fight was on; Fleet was a fierce warrior, such an admirable fellow. He fought hard against those goblins, and Jovina, you know her, she was strong and mighty with her staff. I, of course, took on the Werewolf, having fought them in the past, I knew that they were difficult adversaries. It didn't take long before the numbers were much easier to handle. The Dwarves in their cage, screaming to be let out the entire time, we just didn't have a moment to get close enough to free them."

"I was one on one with the Werewolf, and Fleet and Jovina were finishing off the goblins. I had already taken a forepaw with one of my axes and his face was a mash of blood and gore, but he was doing an exceptional job of covering his throat and belly, I just couldn't get to a soft spot to put him down. Another pack of goblins came running down the side of the mountain and in the midst of the commotion, the Werewolf was able to take a bite at me, his jaws smashing down on my torso, dislocating my right shoulder and badly bruising my left arm. To the point that I could not move to defend myself. It was then that Fleet acted, he slammed his long dagger into the left hind leg of the foul beast and it dropped me on the ground. I still could not fight mind you. There was no way for me to move my arms. The beast turned on Fleet and-,"

She was interrupted mid-sentence as Lindir and Elrond were speaking to each other in the walkway below. The Dwarves insatiable love of food and drink was beginning to wear on the poor vassal. He was complaining to Elrond in Sindarin about how little wine was left after the three-week sojourn of the dwarves.

"Sounds like my extended family is wearing out poor Lindir," Rylee chuckled softly, as they walked along. There were shouts coming from the garden and both woman looked up and started to laugh. Bilbo groaned into his hands in complete embarrassment. The entire company was enjoying a skinny dip in the main fountain, Jumping and diving out of the large basins, to splash in the waters below. They were running around the garden completely naked, completely unabashed. Even Kíli was among them, enjoying the shenanigans of his comrades. Rylee grinned at her friend, "What can I say? Dwarves will be Dwarves?"

"I assure you Elorin will be jealous when he hears," Elihara laughed along, "He has been tempted to do that for years. If he has snuck in there, he has done it without getting caught."

"He would too," Rylee said as she thought about the oversized Dwarf. She tried her hardest not to look, but her eyes were suddenly glued to the scene below and as she watched her eyes widened in surprise, "Apparently he fulfilled that wish, Elihara look!"

Sure enough, the tall half-elf emerged from the bottom bowl of the fountain. Just as Bofur and Nori dove in from another of the upper bowls. Both women started to laugh hysterically at the lot of them. Shaking their heads, they walked away from the joyous group of Dwarves.

"Come along, Bilbo, let them get into trouble on their own, I have a feeling it will be a while before Elorin lives this down." Rylee laughed as they made their way back to the armoury, the story of Took long forgotten in the embarrassment of the moment.

The three shared a quiet dinner in Elihara's kitchen and the Hobbit and the Dwarrow-elf shared stories about the Shire and Imladris as Rylee sat and listened to them. It was quite late when Rylee walked Bilbo back up to Elrond's Homely House. Bilbo went to see if there was anything available for supper and Rylee was left on her own.

She wandered towards the balcony where most of the Company camped, wanting to spend some time with them before meeting Thorin for the meeting under the moon. As Rylee approached, she could hear the Dwarves laughing and talking below her. She came to the door and looked around, finding Kíli on a bench in a small alcove with Fíli on the floor beside him. They were watching Bofur taunt Bomber with morsels of food while Oin worked on crisping up a massive leaf of kale.

The mood was bright and boisterous as they laughed, sang, and played instruments they found in the music room. Rylee sat with Kíli and Fíli as she waited for Thorin to return from wherever he went with Nori. She wondered what the two were doing, and when she asked Fíli, he only said that they were discussing what supplies would be needed for the journey. Rylee smirked at that. Nori would indeed furnish whatever supplies they might need for the next several weeks and months on the road.

It seemed an age before Thorin finally returned. He looked rather grim, and Rylee had a feeling that it had to do with the upcoming meeting. The moon had just made its way over the mountain peaks and was slowly creeping higher in the sky. He seemed to be getting more and more agitated, snapping at Bilbo when he arrived after having his late supper. "Where the hell have you been? Gandalf said you were to meet us; I have been waiting."

"Leave him alone, Thorin," Jovina chided coming in behind Bilbo, "He was helping me with a few things in the kitchen. He did not see the moon rise."

"That is no excuse, he was told to be here; he should have been paying attention." Thorin snapped in frustration.

"Thorin that's," Jovina started only to be cut off by Balin.

"Come along Bilbo," Balin said dropping a hand onto the hobbit's shoulder and leading him away from Thorin. "It looks like the moon is high enough."

"Don't take your troubles out on Bilbo, Thorin," Jovina warned quietly. Her dark eyes seemed to look right through Thorin. Like she knew something. Rylee shivered. She hated seeing that look on Jovina's face. Thorin growled and glared at Jovina, muttering something under his breath about minding her own business.

"Come let us go to our meeting," Rylee said holding out her hand, wanting to stop any confrontations before they started. It took them little time to catch up with Bilbo and Balin as they made their way to the great study.

When they arrived, Rylee was surprised to see that everyone had gathered to read the map. She felt Thorin bristle immediately, his hand clutched hers tightly as he tried to reign in his distrust of the Elves. Cirdan, Glorfindel, Elrond, and Galadriel were all in attendance, even Saruman fresh from his journey, stood in the room near the crystal table under the light of the moon. Saruman's eyes seemed overly bright and feverish, and Rylee wondered if perhaps he had pushed his Istari body too hard.

Thorin's eyes were hard as he pulled Gandalf to the side and whispered harshly, "What is the meaning of this? I thought it was to be Elrond reading the map. I thought the council would meet later."

Rylee remained quiet and on edge as she looked up at Gandalf awaiting his response. Finally, he spoke lowly and in confidence, "Considering how long we have waited for this night, I thought it would be best to get it over with quickly so that we could find proper rest before continuing or… returning to Ered Luin."

"We will not be returning to Ered Luin," Thorin snapped waspishly. Rylee knew how much this meant to him. She knew that he had every reason to want to press forward. Besides, she wouldn't be here if they were expected just to return home.

"I do not think it wise to allow all of these people to see the map. The secrets of our people should not be passed around so lightly," Balin whispered in a soft worried tone. Rylee watched worriedly, glancing over at the suspicious faces of Saruman, Cirdan, and Glorfindel.

"Trust me, Thorin, it is better to know their minds than to find ourselves without allies when we need them. They are aware of what we wish to do; we will not walk into Erebor blindly. What ever happens, let me do the talking," Gandalf said calmly to both dwarves. Bilbo looked on in silence, meeting Rylee's eyes upon occasion as the tension only seemed to increase. Finally, Gandalf turned and addressed Elrond, "We are ready for the reading, Lord Elrond."

"Have you the map?" Lord Elrond asked, beckoning for Thorin to bring the parchment forward. "What information are you thinking you will find?"

"Hopefully a key to entering the mountain without Smaug waking. Rylee tried to read it, but she said while some of the runes are ancient, they are from after her time, she could not help us," Gandalf admitted to the Elven Lord.

"Gandalf we have been over this before," Thorin disagreed with the wizard, "Our business is no concern of Elves."

"For goodness sakes, Thorin, show him the map," Gandalf admonished him. "He has already seen it once. Once more under the light of the moon will simply give us the answers that we seek.

"It is the legacy of my people, it is mine to protect," Thorin said coldly, reciting Balin's argument. The secrets in the map were sacred; it was rare for the Dwarves to share any of their language and runes. Much of their history and stories were intensely protected. Very few from outside their mines and homes knew any of what went on within their halls. It was Thorin's sworn duty as the Heir of Durin to protect that legacy. "As are its secrets."

The elves observing began to mutter in disbelief and discontent as Thorin's apparent greed and distrust made itself known. Rylee sighed softly and shook her head along side Bilbo. The two races did not understand each other. Aulë had taught them a language, a way of life that was unlike any other in all of Middle-Earth, it was a sacred thing. The elves were much more open and sharing of their knowledge and ideals. They would never understand the Dwarves protective nature.

"Save me from the stubbornness of Dwarves," Gandalf said in exasperation as he looked down upon the King under the Mountain. "Your pride will be your downfall. You stand here in the presence of one of the few in Middle-Earth who can read that map, show it to Lord Elrond!"

"It is not stubbornness; it is faith! They keep the secrets of Aulë, as they have always done, there is nothing wrong with this! However, Gandalf is right; this is the one time that you can seek the council of the wisest beings in all of Arda. Surely you can see the good in that. Aulë will not fault you for this, Thorin." Rylee could see the frustration seething in Thorin's face; he would hate to have to admit that the wizard was right. Rylee had told him that she was not able to read it due to the changes in the runes, she remembered saying that it could only be read at a particular time. If Gandalf was right, then Lord Elrond was the one who could help them find the secrets of getting into the mountain. With great reluctance, Thorin pulled the map out of the inner breast pocket of his tunic and moved to hand it to Elrond.

"Thorin, No!" Balin said trying to block him. Rylee put her hand on Balin's shoulder holding him back. She shook her head at him. She understood Balin's worry, but if they wanted to get into their home, they needed to know the secrets of the map. Apparently, Thorin felt the same for he pushed past Balin and handed the sacred paper to Lord Elrond.

"Erebor," Elrond looked up at Thorin a small glimpse of worry tightened his face. "I know we have spoken about the mountain and the dragon that sleeps within, but it still worries me terribly about what you intend to do, Thorin."

Thorin looked ready to tell the elf to mind his own business when Gandalf cut in. "It is necessary Lord Elrond. You know that if Sauron stirs from his hiding place and sides with Smaug we will all be doomed. This is for the best." Gandalf pressed softly, smoothly. Rylee now understood why he insisted that he be the one to do the talking. "As you know this kind of artifact often contains hidden text? It is imperative that we know what it is." Lord Elrond moved away slightly, looking over the thick parchment. Thorin and Gandalf exchanged a glance, Thorin was actually thankful for the wizard to step in. Since he did, there was a chance that they might actually get answers. "You do still read ancient Dwarvish do you not?"

"Cirth Ithil," Elrond said as he read the map in the faint moonlight that streamed in.

"Moon Runes," Gandalf interpreted for Thorin and Balin, "Of course, it is easy to be missed."

'Rylee already figured out that part of it,' Thorin thought rolling his eyes, she just could not translate the rest. He looked at Lord Elrond and said, "Rylee told me that moon runes could only be read on the same moon of the same season in which it was written."

"She would be correct," Lord Elrond said looking at the Dwarf thoughtfully, "You are lucky she puzzled that out of what is written since most of it is a mixture of runes from the early Second Age. It was what helped me calculate which night we would need to read the passage. These runes were written on a midsummer's eve by the light of a crescent moon nearly two hundred years ago; the same moon shines upon us tonight."

"Are they legible? Can you read them?" Thorin asked him, hopeful that the Elven Lord would be able to divulge the secrets hidden within.

Lord Elrond looked down at the King under the Mountain with a small smile, "Fate is with you Thorin Oakenshield, the runes are clear and quite concise."

Thorin stepped up beside Lord Elrond, and Saruman stood to the other side of Thorin. The elf and the Istari towered over Thorin as they stood before a massive crystalline altar under the waterfalls of the river city. The moon shone through the darkness and into the crystal stone, then the magic rippled through the ink and the paper upon which it was written, and the runes began to glow softly in the moon light. Shivers swept up Rylee's spine as Elrond recited the secrets of the map to all who stood in council. "Stand by the grey stone when the thrush knocks and the setting sun with the last light of Durin's day will shine upon the key hole."

"Durin's day?" Bilbo asked looking first at Balin, and then up at Gandalf who gave the explanation.

"It is the start of the Dwarves new Year," Gandalf Explained to the hobbit. "When the last moon of autumn and the first sun of winter appear in the sky together."

Rylee frowned and looked up at Galadriel with confusion in her eyes, "Is that not the day of the awakening? The day that all of the Dwarf-fathers woke and emerged from their mountains?"

Galadriel looked down and smiled. "You would know better than I, daughter of Aulë. I was never privy to the secrets of dwarves, other than what you taught us.

"This is of news, summer is passing, Durin's day will soon be upon us," Thorin grumbled looking at Balin, his brow furrowed.

"There is time," Balin said getting excited.

"Time for what?" Bilbo asked looking at the older Dwarf in confusion.

"To find the entrance," Balin said looking at Thorin, a glint in his eyes, "We have to be standing in exactly the right spot at exactly the right time, Then and only then can the door be opened."

"The door can be opened, the dragon awakened, and the town of Esgaroth burned once again." Saruman snapped at them. He looked angry, upset and Rylee wondered why. "Can you not see that what you are about to do might play right into Sauron's hands? Above that, Rylee dies at the end of each quest, if you send her after that dragon, her death will follow as it always does. Do you wish for this, God father of Mahalul?"

"Of course I do not wish for her death! She is my God daughter, but she would not have been sent to us if she was not supposed to face the dragon, would she? She has a purpose in all of this, would you take that away from her?" Thorin retorts.

"Curumo, please, you must see the right in this," Rylee said firmly. She stood before him, looking up at one she long admired. "See the wisdom. We will take back the mountain and sway the balance of power back into our hands. We will weaken the allies of darkness and those still aligned with Morgoth. You must lead the others to find what Sauron seeks and destroy it."

"How do you plan to do this, Emitheral?" Glorfindel asked, his voice short and almost cold. "You cannot even control your power. It lashed out unbidden to others in your presence, and nearly did damage."

Rylee was well aware that her actions the other day were likely causing some doubt in the minds of the council of her ability to control her powers. "Jovina has said that she can teach me control, that I can learn to use it slowly. We have ample time between now and Durin's day for me to learn what I must."

"And once you have gained control over your powers? What then? Do you have a course of action to face the dragon?" Glorfindel asked his voice rising fiercely.

"Of course not! You know that is not how this works!" Rylee snapped back, her anger growing fierce. "The Valar have entrusted this task to me, and I will fulfil my quest, as I have always done before. You cannot and will not stop me!"

"I never thought to stop you Emitheral; I merely wish to know how it is that you intend to do it." Glorfindel chided her in a manner that immediately grated upon Rylee's nerves. Aye he was wise, and he had long been an ally, but she could not help but feel attacked. Regardless of how irrational that might seem. "If I remember correctly, you did not have a plan for Gondolin either. It still fell."

"My quest was not to save Gondolin; it was to assist Tuor with the bloody dragons! Which I did!" Rylee snapped back. Her ire was rising steadily, and as it did, her temperature was as well. She needed to calm down. "Tuor got out safely, did he not? As did Idril and Eärendil!"

"This should not be about Rylee's past feats," Saruman advised slowly and turned to Rylee. "So what is your quest this time? Does it have anything to do with the dragon?"

"Nay! It is to 'Change the hands of fate.' What of it?" Rylee growled, still seething in frustration.

Cirdan gave her that oddly imperious look he got when he thought he was right, "In other words, you should put this folly behind you and return to Ered Luin with your family."

"I will do no such thing!" Rylee snapped back in annoyance. "I said my quest has nothing to do with the dragon, which means that Bilbo will most likely be successful in his task and the Arkenstone will be retrieved. It is my belief that my quest is about whatever comes after the dragon."

"These are mere assurances," Cirdan argues with a shake of his head. "The Valar would never have sent you if the beast is not intended to awaken. This plan is a failure before you even set out. To think a burglar might do what an army of Dwarves cannot."

"We do not know why the beast might awaken, or when! Do not put doubts in Bilbo's mind before he has even reached the mountain. That is utterly cruel!" Rylee snapped back in defence of the Hobbit. "He has a purpose in this as well, we do not know yet what it is, but to tell him outright that he will fail, is simply not your place!"

Gandalf nodded and looked at Balin and Bilbo, "You two should go and get some rest. I imagine that at the end of this, Thorin will wish to be off as soon as possible."

Balin looked like he would like to say something, but luckily he held his tongue and put his arm around Bilbo's shoulders to guide him away. Bilbo was quite curious to hear more, but there was really no point in either of them listening to insults or the Council of Elves and Wizards. If there was something to share, Rylee and Thorin would do so when they were back on the road. The council remained silent until the pair were safely away, then Gandalf went on, "Of course I was meaning to tell you, I was waiting for this very chance. You can trust that I know what I am doing!"

"Do you? That dragon has slept for sixty years. What should happen if your plan should fail? If you should wake the beast?" Elrond argued his view trying to get Gandalf to see reason.

"The dragon is sure to rise," Saruman said, his voice low. He looked at Rylee and tried to convince her. "If it does, we cannot be assured that any of the surrounding areas will be saved. He will cause great destruction and chaos."

"Of course he will! That is what Dragons do!" Thorin hollered standing up for Rylee. He looked fierce and angry; his blue eyes seemed to be flashing with energy and rage.

"What if we succeed? If the Dwarves take back the mountain, our defences in the East will be strengthened." Gandalf returned roughly, "And what of Rylee's return, do you not think that her arrival in Middle-Earth is a portent to some change already happening?"

"It is a dangerous move, Gandalf." Elrond told him, his voice became darker, "Do you have any idea what her actions in the past have wrought, the devastation left behind in her wake? The people who mourned her deaths? The cities left to crumble and drop into the seas?"

Rylee felt as though she was being hit in the stomach; she remained beside Thorin, who looked at her in silence. She looked back at him with a frown settling on her face. They spoke as though she was not even in the same room as if she did not know what her actions so long ago had done for the world. She might not have known once; she did now.

"It is also dangerous to do nothing. Rylee always thought of her actions carefully, she has divine visions. Who are we to say that what she saw in those visions were not much darker and deadlier paths than the one she took? You know better than to rehash these old wounds," Gandalf retorted. "As well, the throne of Erebor is Thorin's birthright, what is it that you fear?"

"Have you forgotten? A strain of madness runs deep in that family, His grandfather lost his mind, his father succumbed to the same sickness. Can you swear that Thorin Oakenshield will not also fall?" She placed her hand on Thorin's shoulder in commiseration apparently they were both guilty of being capable of darkness. They listened for a moment longer while the Wizard and the Elven Lord walked further away, their voices echoing through the night sky. "Gandalf these decisions do not rest with us alone. It is not up to you or me to redraw the map of Middle-Earth"

"With or without our help, these Dwarves will march on the mountain," Gandalf argued with him, trying to get him to see reason. "They are determined to reclaim their homeland. I do not believe that Thorin Oakenshield believes that he is answerable to anyone, nor for that matter, am I."

"Nor is he deaf!" Rylee snapped angrily her outrage finally coming to the surface. She could not stand any longer being talked about, having Thorin spoken of as if they were not even in the room. "If you have concerns about my actions, or about Thorin's troubles, then perhaps it would be wiser for the council to address us directly."

There was a lull over the council and Rylee looked over at Galadriel to see a secret smile lightening her face. Galadriel was acutely aware of how much Rylee hated such rude tactics. It was the surest way to anger Rylee, and nearly every person in the council knew what Rylee could be like when enraged.

"Even if you are successful if the dragon is finally defeated, can you guarantee that you will not fall to the madness that runs in the line of Durin?" Elrond said to Thorin. He looked down at the Dwarf King apologetically, but Thorin bristled nonetheless. "I am sorry Thorin, but it needs to be discussed, to overlook such a thing would be negligence on our part."

Cirdan agreed with a small amount of remorse, "If you should fall susceptible to the sickness you would make an even greater threat than Smaug, with the ability to amass an army of Dwarves upon a whim. We cannot have such a divide within Middle-Earth."

"I am neither my grandfather; driven by gold lust, nor like my father; bound by grief." Thorin glowered at them all feeling his rage rising within him. "I would never think to raise an army against my allies."

Rylee placed her hand on his shoulder and vowed, "He will not fall. I will not allow it."

Glorfindel scoffs, "You cannot make such a guarantee Emitheral, you die at the end of every quest. You do not know if you will even survive the task set out before you."

"Ilúvatar has told me that this is my last quest, my final life," Rylee argued, the table fell silent with the shock of her news, yet she went on, ignoring their reaction. "I refuse to believe that he has sentenced me to a final life without the chance to live it well and fully. I will not leave my husband and my family to mourn my death after all we have been through. Whatever comes, I will ensure that Thorin and the line of Durin will never again fall to dragon sickness."

"These are simply more assurances," Saruman shook his head, frowning at them all. "You cannot be so certain that you will be successful, and you cannot tell me that there is more wisdom in following through with this plan than not."

"I will not allow Smaug to languish in Erebor where Sauron can hold sway over him! You know damn well that be it now or in a hundred years, Sauron will rise again, and I can guarantee you that he will not wait for your silly council to give him permission to do so!" Rylee hollered back. She could not believe that Saruman was siding with Cirdan and Glorfindel. "Besides all of my dreams lead us forward! Not back!"

"What are you saying, Rylee?" Galadriel asked softly. She knew Rylee well, and Rylee knew that Galadriel was trying to keep her voice calm to help Rylee calm down. Rylee was grateful, for she could feel the warmth in her blood, and it was beginning to boil. "What have your dreams told you?"

Rylee took a deep breath, trying to remain as calm as she possibly could. She would not last much longer in this meeting. Finally, she answered, "I am to save Thorin, Fíli, and Kíli. Smaug never enters the dreams at all. My quest isn't about the dragon this time. So either Bilbo succeeds and we are able to rise an army to defeat him, or something else, something greater is coming." Rylee paused and looked around the table at each and every member of the council. Then she looked back at Galadriel. "You have seen it, have you not? Our path lies through the mountains. It lies beyond the road to Erebor."

"I have seen many trials along your path, many of which will test your endurance and your faith in each other," Galadriel told Rylee. She looked around the table and frowned. She looked across to Gandalf. "Elrond and Gandalf are right, whether we wish it or not, this company of dwarves will be leaving on the road to Erebor. It would not be wise to stay them any longer."

"But surely there must be another way!" Glorfindel tried again. "One that does not seem quite so reckless if we had time to gather an army…"

"I will not wait for an Elvish army," Thorin snapped in a dark rage. "Thranduil was on our doorstep the day the dragon came and he did nought to help. My people were torn asunder, fleeing from their home, and we received no help from the Elves that day or any day since. Now you tell me that you will raise an army in our stead! For what? What is in it for you?"

"Nothing!" Gandalf stepped in and looked at Thorin wearily. "They will gain nothing. We will leave tomorrow; mid-morning should be an ideal time to depart company. I believe that would be best would it not? You and Rylee should go prepare the others, get some rest, gather your things so we might depart in a more timely manner than usual."

Rylee arched a brow as a strange look passed between Thorin, Gandalf, and Galadriel. There had not been a single day that they had tarried beyond the breaking of dawn while out on the road. Now Gandalf was speaking of a mid-morning departure. It sounded like a Hobbit plan rather than Dwarvish. Slowly Thorin turned to Rylee and nodded. "Gandalf is right. It is best that we tell the others of our departure."

Confused, Rylee allowed Thorin to pull her from the council. They did not get far before Thorin pulled her to a stop, "You need to calm down Rylee."

"Why?" Rylee snapped as she still fumed at what had just happened.

"Because you are now aflame, just your hair, but it is becoming rather noticeable." Thorin murmured softly. He turned her slowly, holding her shoulders in his large strong hands, and looked down at her. Rylee met his gaze and was surprised to see that it was already softening again. "Take a moment and just relax. They mean nothing to us and they cannot stop what needs to be done. Galadriel has seen that we are to go ahead, as have you, and Gandalf would not have set us on this path if he did not think it wise."

"Aye, I do suppose you are right," Rylee muttered, her annoyance slowly ebbing away. Finally, Thorin released her and turned her back onto the path.

As they walked out of earshot, Rylee squeezed Thorin's shoulder, "It seems you and me; we are both touched by darkness. You will not succumb to the Dragon Sickness. We will find a way. I promise you this."

"Do you really leave devastation in your wake?" Thorin looked down at her his eyes were sad.

"It would seem so, Kurdûh 'Adad. I am only ever sent here with a quest. I am not told of the original fate, I figure it out through the dreams." Rylee paused for a moment, her thoughts stirring as she remembered her first journey on the path of dreams. "I was recently shown what might have happened if I had not come to aide the people of Middle-Earth. From what I saw, the outcome was the fall of Arda and Aman. Losing a city, or even a great part of this land, is horrible, yes; but losing the entire world, is that not much worse?" Rylee looked up at him meeting his eyes. "I now know that I changed the outcome for the better. I have been sent here to change your fate, which means that there must be some good to you living."

"But the Dragon Sickness, Rylee, I may not be able to stop the madness as it comes," Thorin told her, softly. "We could not stop my grandfather from going mad, how will you stop me from finding the same fate?

"We will find a way 'Adad," Rylee held his gaze and took his hands in her own. "I give you my promise that we will find a way to break the curse of Dragon Sickness in our family."

Thorin murmured with a nod, "This is not an easy path we are on, and there will be troubles ahead, just as there were troubles behind us."

"So we find some light in the darkness to brighten our way," Rylee assured him as they walked along.

They were nearly back at the Company quarters when Thorin whispered. "We leave before daylight. Galadriel foresaw that this might happen and Gandalf came up with a plan. Be ready Rylee."

With that Thorin left her side as Kíli came out to meet them. "Good night, Uncle, rest well. All is ready."

Kíli took Rylee's hand, led her away from the Company's quarters. Through the halls and corridors, they fled as he pulled her through the lush gardens that led to the road that would take them to her home. She needed him like she needed the air she breathed, and since their wedding, the desire only grew deeper, stronger and burned hotter. They rushed through the city to the little house tucked in the corner of the mountain and barely made it to the garden before Rylee pulled him back. The moment he looked back at her, she saw the raw lust grow in his eyes and knew even though the door was only a few hundred feet away, they would never make it there.

"I need you, Rylee. I will never get enough of you." Kíli pulled her roughly against him, and kissed her hard, pulling at her dress, lifting it off of her under the moon light as she pulled hastily at his clothes. Her need just as apparent, as she pulled at the ties of his tunic and roughly shoved his clothes off of his body. She was wild for him, her hands pulling him against her, as she kissed every part of him. They made love under the light of the moon and later when their initial lust was sated, they gathered their things inside. There they bathed, then packed and made love once more.

Rylee could not sleep. There was too much on her mind. As Kíli slept soundly, Rylee stared at the ceiling waiting for sleep to come. Finally, she rose, pulled on a night rail and went to make a pot of tea to help her sleep. When she was finally done her last sip, she rose and returned to the bedroom. She was nearing the bed as she thought of what she had promised Galadriel days before, that she would tell Celeborn of the day they met. Before Rylee could move another step, she was swept away out of her own mind and into a black room. She could not see anything, not even her own hands. She could not tell if she was alone or if there were others around her. Hesitantly, Rylee called into the darkness. "Hello?"

"Who is this that invades my rest?" A male voice answered back. "And why can I not see you?"

"It is Rylee, Rylee Emitheral, and I do not know," Rylee said in confusion. She had no idea what had happened, one moment she thought that she should try to contact Celeborn and then next she was in this room of all-encompassing darkness.

"Emitheral, Rúnyatári, to what do I owe the honour of such a visit, as odd as it is?" The voice replied in interested amusement.

Rylee was confused, she still had no idea who it was that she was even conversing with, "I will answer that once I know who I am talking to."

"I am Celeborn. Considering you are the one who dropped in on my rest, I assumed you would know who I am." He replied. It was then that Rylee recognised the almost sarcastic tone of voice, with the underlying layer of amusement.

"Well, at least I got that part right, I had hoped to not be standing… I suppose I will take what I can get," Rylee mused to herself softly. Then she pulled herself together, Irmo told her that she would not have much time. If she was going to tell Celeborn what she intended, she needed to speak quickly. "Irmo is the one who has allowed this possibility, though I am uncertain how it works really. Regardless, I promised Galadriel that I would tell you something and intend to do just that."

"Oh, and what is it that you must tell me that you could not wait for daylight?" Celeborn asked in a rather dry tone.

"How Galadriel and I met," Rylee said and waited for a long moment. There was silence in the darkness, and Celeborn did not answer so Rylee continued uncertainly. "She has not told you of that, has she?"

"I cannot say that she has, though I have asked a few times," Celeborn said slowly.

Rylee chuckled gleefully. This was going to be even more satisfying than she initially thought. "Good. Excellent, because the cheeky brat thought to try hiding her shenanigans from me though I warned her that I would tell you what happened."

"She did, did she? Well then, you best be on with it, I have waited over six thousand years for this story," Celeborn murmured in gathering amusement.

"Well, if you recall, we were in Doriath at the time. I was newly arrived. My name and face were not exactly welcome in Menegroth by any other than Melian, who knew me." Rylee began her tale slowly, taking them both back to the days of the Glittering Caves. "There was that one night in the very beginning of my short time there, Thingol and Melian were holding a feast in the main hall. I was there to give Thingol and Melian a gift that I had made the night before in one of the greater forges. Upon seeing the gift, Thingol was swayed into allowing me to stay."

"I do recall that it was a dagger of some sort, I believe it was later passed on to his daughter Luthien." Celeborn agreed in recollection.

"Aye. Well as I was permitted to join the celebration, I was met with several of Galadriel's acquaintances, boasting about how perfectly graceful and elegant Galadriel is. I must remind you that these were not Galadriel's attendants, simply some of the ladies of Menegroth. They teased me shamelessly for being a "graceless dwarf" and because Galadriel stood amongst them saying not a word, I believed that she held the same opinion." Rylee admitted quietly. Celeborn remained quiet, and Rylee hurried on, reminding herself she did not have very much time to tell this tale.

"It was later in the evening when I went outside to find a place to rest. It was much too warm in the caves and I simply needed to see the stars. I was wandering along the paths when I saw a flash of gold streaming from the treetops. There was some noise and movement as the river of gold seemed to sway back and forth with some fervor, so I, in my curiosity, when to see what it was that was going on. It was then that I found that the golden waterfall belonged to none other than the 'most graceful of all elleths.'" Rylee murmured in a very wry tone. She shook her head at the memory. "She hung there, with her foot wedged firmly in the branches and vines, fighting against the fabric of her skirts as they covered her torso and face. She has very long legs, your Galadriel, dainty feet as well, and as my memory serves me, she wore a very splendid pair of bloomers. White with blue ribbons. She told me later that her mother made them for her." Rylee paused for a moment as Celeborn coughed. It was an odd sounding cough and soon it became rather apparent that he was trying to muffle the sound of his laughter. Rylee simply smirked and carried on with her tale. "Anyways, I recall looking up at her from my place upon the ground and saying, "For one as divine as yourself, it seems odd that I should find you upside down with your bloomers making a fine appearance." Well, Galadriel was beside herself and as she finally pulled the skirts away from her eyes she told me, "If you were who Melian says you are, you would not just stand there staring at my underwear, you would help me down." To which I replied. "Terribly sorry, Milady, but last I checked, my quest is not about setting your lovely behind upright." I am pretty sure she wanted to throttle me at that moment, but I was much too amused to care."

"I am certain that you are right," Celeborn said as he quietly snickered to himself in the dark void.

"Aye, there she was. The lovely Galadriel, hanging upside down in a tree, her ankle tangled in vines, barely holding her dress in place trying vainly to hide her bloomers. "It seems to me that for an elleth portrayed so eloquently as the lithest and graceful of all, you appear to have a small problem with balance." I mused openly to her. To which she promptly retorted, "Considering that most dwarves would not dare to climb a tree in the first place, what would you know of balance?" I simply had to reply, "I am not a Dwarf, though, am I?" I swear, at that she growled at me and the look on her face. Her very red face, might I add, as all the blood was rushing to it. "Will you please just take pity and help me down?" Have you ever heard her voice when she is so exasperated, yet she is pleading for something?" Rylee asked quietly as she stood there in the darkness telling her tale to Celeborn.

"I have, actually." Celeborn replied in amusement and then shared quietly, "When Celebrian, the twins or Arwen would spend the day following her around asking incessant amounts of questions. You know that age when 'Why?' is the only word that children seem to know."

Rylee remained quiet. She had no idea. Children did that? Had she done that? She hoped that someday she would find out, but it would not be anytime soon. "I can't say that I have ever had the pleasure of knowing what children do…"

"Perhaps someday you shall, Rylee," Celeborn chuckled as Rylee stood stunned and confused. "Please, carry on with your tale, I would like to know what happened next."

"Right," Rylee said as she gathered her thoughts. Finally, she continued. "Well, it just so happened, that at about that time, several other people decided to make a journey to the garden as well. We both knew that if I left her there, she would be the laughing-stock of the palace. I stood there looking up at this poor elleth, who had stood silently while her peers had tormented me earlier, and I considered leaving her to be found by those same peers. Alas, I could not do that. So, I climbed the tree."

"You are afraid of heights," Celeborn said matter-of-factly. Rylee hummed in agreement. Galadriel and Celeborn were few who knew that.

"Aye, so imagine my chagrin at having to be up there to help someone who had not exactly been kind to me. It left a rather sour taste in my mouth." Rylee frowned. She took a breath and carried on. "I climbed that blasted tree and made my way across the branches to the one upon which she was caught. Then I let several vines drop so that she could hold on while I got her foot uncaught. She is a wily one, and of course gripped onto the vines and hoisted herself up a little. From there it was a small issue to unwrap her ankle from the vines and the branch. I expected her to let herself drop to the ground and hurry back indoors to right herself, but she did not."

There was a long silence; it seemed to carry on for a long while before Celeborn asked, "Oh?"

"Aye, she climbed back up and sat on one of the branches. She asked me why I wasn't climbing down. So I told her that I was rather stuck to the tree at that moment as vertigo held me in her grasp. You see the moment that her ankle was freed, I turned and gripped onto the trunk of the tree as though my life depended on it. She asked me if it was a Dwarf thing. I told her 'No, Dwarrow do not have problems with heights. That is simply my problem.' It was hard to admit that to her, but then I did get a really good view of her bloomers, I figured it was a fair price." Rylee muttered softly. Celeborn laughed and agreed quietly. "We chatted for a while afterwards, I found out that she was actually fuming while those ladies were teasing me earlier in the evening. That she had every intention of reporting their behavior to Melian and Thingol. I apologised for thinking that her silence meant acceptance of it. I asked her how she ended up like that and she told me that she was watching out for her cousin and keeping an eye on this oddly delinquent guest, who just showed up with a gift fit for a king. She was spying on me, wanting to know more about me, and why I was there. As she said, 'the best place to watch a ground loving dwarf is in a tree.' She reaching for a higher branch when she put her hand on something rather moist and slick, then next thing she knew she was falling."

"I do not think I want to know what it was that she touched," Celeborn groaned. Rylee laughed. It would not have been the first time that Galadriel might have come home with an unsavoury scent clinging to her.

"Nothing overly horrible, it was merely a very slick wad of fresh sap from the tree," Rylee said softly in amusement. "Nay, after that, I was able to convince myself to climb back down. Then we were about to go our separate ways. I could not help it. I just had to say 'Nice underpants by the way.' The imp chased me! We wove around the trees for nearly an hour before she caught up and we fell to the grass laughing. She begged me quietly, 'Please, you must never tell anyone how we met.' I could only imagine that she would have been embarrassed if anyone learned that I had found her upside down. So I grinned at her and teased, 'I will simply say we met in the garden, but I will always know that you had blue ribbons on your bloomers, and your face flushes a pretty red when you are upside down.'

"Oh! You are incorrigible!" Celeborn laughed heartily. Rylee could imagine him shaking his head as he did so.

"That is what she said as well," Rylee mused softly. Vertigo hit her then. A wall of it crashed down upon her. Whatever dark room that she was in swayed and swirled around her and she could feel herself falling. Then she was standing back in her room, a foot away from the bed, swaying with exhaustion. She had not even gotten the chance to say goodbye. It happened so quickly.

"Rylee?" Kíli's voice sounded out of the darkness, "Are you alright?"

She stumbled forward and fell haphazardly onto the edge of the bed. Kíli pulled her up properly and tucked her quietly beside him. "Kíli, remind me not to do that again. It is much too taxing."

"What?" Kíli asked as he became more fully alert.

"Telepathy, I cannot do that again," Rylee mumbled seconds before she passed out cold.

* * *

The couple was curled together in a sated sleep when the pounding on the door started. Kíli woke to curse as he realised they overslept. Dawn was not yet brushing the sky and Rylee was still unconscious. Whatever she had done the night before had sent her into a depth of sleep that reminded Kíli of the times that she was under the thrall of the Sauron dreams. The thought chilled him. Kíli dressed quickly and ran to the door throwing it open. It was Fíli.

"We are leaving." Fíli said with urgency, "You didn't show, we need to go and go now."

"We will be ready," Kíli told him as he thought of how to rouse Rylee from such a deep sleep. "Give us five minutes."

"We will be at the main gate, just be quick," Fíli said with worry looking beyond Kíli into the dark house. A sleepy Rohinna stood by the door looking on in quiet confusion. Kíli just nodded and closed the door turning to look up at Rohinna.

"Rylee tried her new power last night, she is still asleep, I do not know if I can wake her," Kíli said with grave concern.

Rohinna nodded and hurried up the stairs to the bedroom, with Kíli following in her wake. He watched as Rohinna filled a bucket of cold water and then tossed it upon Rylee. Never before had he seen Rylee sit up so fast. He noted that her hands clenched uselessly at the empty space under her pillow, where her axes would be. She blinked, stunned, shivering, and soaked as she took in her surroundings. As Rylee's eyes met his, he watched the confusion clear, and the horror cross her face as she realised they had overslept.

"I am ready, just let me dress," Rylee said as she scrambled off of the bed and to the now nearly empty wardrobe. The only things left in them was what she intended to wear on the road. Everything else was packed away in her black bag.

"Of course," Kíli nodded. He did the same as she, dressing as quickly as he possibly could. They were both ready and at the main door of the house only a few short minutes later. Rohinna was there holding the bags that she hauled down for them. Mikhaul was already saddled, and the packs in place, thanks to Rohinna's effort. Kíli didn't know what they would have done without her. "You, milady, will always be dear to us. Thank you for everything, Rohinna."

"It was my pleasure, Kíli," Rohinna smiled sadly down at him. She bent to give him a short hug, before turning to Rylee.

"I hope to see you again someday, Rohinna," Rylee whispered. Her voice was choked with emotion. Kíli didn't want to hear it; he didn't want to think that Rylee might never return to this place, or see her friends again.

"As do I, my dear friend, it has been a joy to see you. Fare thee well on your journey." Rohinna bid her goodbye.

Picking up their weapons, Kíli escorted Rylee outside. He pulled his weapons pack onto his back as Rylee wrapped her whip around her waist. She was about to pull her axes on to her back when Kíli stopped her and turned her to the narrow road, where Elihara and Elorin stood waiting for them. Kíli smiled at both of them, knowing exactly what they were doing, as they had discussed it days before. Elihara came forward handed her a new pack. It had holsters for Rylee's axes, a quiver for her new arrows and a place for her bow. Kíli climbed on to Mikhaul as he waited for Rylee to say her goodbyes to her friends.

"I noticed that you still had not made something for yourself, and you never ask me for anything personal. This is my wedding gift to you." Elihara said with a tear lingering on her lashes. Kíli noticed Rylee's hands shook as she put everything in its place and pulled it over her shoulder. "I put your tea in the pocket so that it does not get ruined or lost on the trail."

"Oh Elihara, I am going to miss you so," Rylee said hauling the tall elf into her arms for a hug. "Thank you, for everything."

"You are welcome in our home anytime, my friend," Elihara said letting her go.

"Go with speed, Rylee," Elorin said, his face stoic. Rylee just nodded. They clasped hands and butted heads together. "Until we meet again."

"Aye, until me meet again." Rylee turned to Kíli, and he pulled her up in front of him on Mikhaul's back. Without another word, they raced for the North gates. They were either the first to arrive or the last to leave, regardless, they were alone at the gates. Rylee turned to Kíli and smiled sadly up at him. "Thank you, my love."

Kíli raised his hand and tilted her face to his and kissed her deeply. There was no need for words. He knew very well that she would have loved to linger and say long goodbyes to everyone that they had met, but it was not meant to be.

"I don't think I like this anymore if they're gonna keep doin' that," Bofur said to Bilbo with a chuckle as the others came down the road from the stables. Everyone laughed and Rylee grinned shyly. The hooves of the ponies had been muffled with thick fabric cases tied around them, and Kíli had barely heard them coming. He noticed that Jovina was now using Kíli's pony since he would be riding with Rylee. He waved at her and she simply nodded in return, she looked rather tired still, and he wondered if she was not a morning person.

"We must go quickly and quietly," Thorin said in a hushed tone, he looked at Mikhaul for a moment, then at Rylee who was standing beside Kíli. "Her shoes, they will be-,"

"Takât," Rylee said in her powerful voice, her eyes sparked. She nodded at Thorin and whispered. "Let's go; the spell will only last a few minutes."

They started forward and sure enough not a single sound issued from the Mikhaul's feet. They moved in single file up a very narrow shelf of rock; Kíli held her tight around the belly, his grip was protective as they balanced atop Mikhaul.

"Be on your guard; we're about to step over the edge of the Wild," Thorin said as he stopped his pony on a small bluff. Looking at each member of the Company, his eyes lingered for a moment on Rylee before it flicked to Kíli. Kíli nodded in return. Rylee would be kept safe in his arms; he would ensure it. "Balin you know these paths; lead on."

"Aye," Balin said moving to the lead position. The others followed.

Kíli noticed Thorin watching Bilbo as the hobbit looked back longingly at Rivendell. Kíli knew that Bilbo was not keen on continuing when there was such a comfortable place nearby. Kíli sighed softly and whispered to Rylee. "He is doing it again. Wondering why the Halfling came with us in the first place. I can almost hear it. 'He is uncomfortable in his own skin, and is more of a burden than a help.' He has no idea why we look upon Bilbo with affection."

"I know, I see it too," Rylee whispered softly in return. She sighed softly and leaned back against Kíli. "Perhaps soon, he will understand."

"Master Baggins, I suggest you keep up," Thorin advised as Bilbo seemed to linger. Kíli knew that they could not allow any falling behind this time. They needed to move and quickly. They needed to be at the Lonely Mountain by Durin's Day and it was swiftly approaching.

"Bilbo, we will go last," Rylee told the Hobbit, indicating that the Halfling go ahead of them. Kíli nodded in agreement. It just seemed right that, as the largest, they should go last over the narrow trail. Bilbo gave Rylee a grateful glance and moved Myrtle ahead of Mikhaul. "You miss it don't you?"

"What?" Bilbo asked her, feeling a little startled. Apparently, the Hobbit had not expected conversation and Kíli chuckled softly.

"The shire," Rylee clarified, looking over at the Hobbit, "You miss your home."

"I do," Bilbo said, he was quiet and a little sad. "When I left home, I just thought that it would be an adventure, I didn't consider the hardness that comes with it."

"I know what you mean," Rylee smiled softly, "I miss Aman, Mahal's Mansion, the Timeless Halls, Yavanna's Pastures, Nienna's Halls but I cannot go back. I am not ready to leave this world yet. This is my last life."

"Don't you sometimes feel lost, not being able to go home?" Bilbo asked her quietly.

"Aye, but then I have found that sometimes home is not a place," Rylee said looking at Fíli and Kíli, and Thorin. "Sometimes home is with the people you care most about, regardless of where you lay your head."

"What about your parents? I mean the Valar," Bilbo looked at her, Aman was so far out of her reach that she could not even visit. "Don't you miss them?"

"I miss them, but they watch over me, I know they are with me," Rylee said as she pulled the rose necklace from where it lay hidden under her shirt, showing him the beaded string and its black rose pendant, "I always have something to remind me."

"I have nothing from home," Bilbo said sadly, "I ran out my door so quickly that I forgot to grab the things I needed."

"Hmm, then perhaps it is not things that you need, Bilbo," Rylee told him, giving him a smile, "Perhaps this quest is about finding something in yourself, that you were missing at home. Maybe you will find it on the trail."

They fell into a comfortable silence, Rylee and Kíli remained at the end of the group with Mikhaul. Fíli allowed Bilbo to pass so he could stay close to Kíli and Rylee.


End file.
